Hong Kong beat China again

Hong Kong's ambitions for the Asian Cricket Council tournament continue to go from strength to strength. In a return friendly with China, who are also warming up for the competition which begins in Malaysia next week, they recorded an emphatic 117-run victory to make it two convincing wins in two. It was their first match on Hong Kong soil.

Rain denied the Hong Kong captain Neisha Pratt a century - she was left stranded on 98 not out as they made 158 for 3 from 25.3 overs - but could not help China further as they crumbled to 41 all out. Conditions were hot and humid, and the match was played on astro turf.

Chan Sau Har improves with every match - still only 13, she grabbed a hat-trick with her left-arm spin as she returned 3 for 4 from her five overs. Godiva Li also bagged cheap wickets, taking 1 for 3 off 4.3 overs, while Kaori Iida also profited, with 1 for 6 from two. Ishitaa Gidwani took 2 for 13 from her five overs.

After a two-hour break, during which the KCC ground staff worked hard to repair the water-logged ground (now bathed in bright sunshine), China were set a slightly revised target of 157 from 25 overs.

Earlier, China got a quick breakthrough when their skipper Mei Chun Hua claimed the wicket of Emma Phillips, who was caught off a top edge that flew directly behind the wicket-keeper where the very straight fine leg Hu Ting Ting raced in to take the catch. But that was to be their last success for quite a while as Pratt and Keenu Gill built a useful partnership worth 56 runs.

Both batters were initially circumspect but they were quick to punish the bad balls, of which there were plenty. Gill creamed three delightful boundaries in her 19, including a well struck cut and a spanking straight-drive. She eventually fell LBW to Hu Ting Ting when the score had reached 67.