Preview: New look Hong Kong aiming to improve at ACC Trophy Elite 2012

Hong Kong will be looking to improve on their 3rd place finish at ACC Trophy Elite 2010 when the take on Saudi Arabia in the opening match of the 2012 tournament in Dubai today.

Hong Kong's team is much changed from the outfit that beat Malaysia in the 3rd/4th play-off match in Kuwait two and a half years ago with Irfan Ahmed, Nadeem Ahmed, Nizakat Khan, Waqas Barkat and Aizaz Khan the only survivors from that 2010 team. The new look Hong Kong team is led by Jamie Atkinson who is coming off a string of good performances against the Footscray Edgewater CC team from Australia. New faces in the squad include Tanwir Afzal, Mudassar Hussain and Anshuman Rath - all of whom were introduced to the squad during the PNG tour and performed well in the recent series against FECC.

Not only has the team changed but so has the Head Coach - and Charlie Burke is expecting much from his young charges on his first ACC Trophy Elite campaign.

Hong Kong faces a tough challenge in the UAE with the home team looking to take advantage of the local conditions, which are expected to be extreme with day-time temperatures reaching 37C. Competition favourites and reigning champions Afghanistan will be looking to add another trophy to their impressive collection while Nepal will be playing with confidence after winning the ICC World Cricket League Division 4 title in Kuala Lumpur recently.

Hong Kong have been drawn in Pool B alongside UAE, Nepal, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Hong Kong's match schedule is as follows:

Ball-by-ball coverage of Hong Kong's matches can be seen on Cricinfo with comments and commentary also available on the ACC's Facebook page.

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