ICC Intercontinental Cup and Shield

ICC Intercontinental Cup 2005 REGIONAL GROUP TABLES AFRICA Played Won Lost Drawn Bonus points Total batting bowling points Kenya 2 1 0 1 18 17 49 Namibia 2 1 0 1 15.5 17 46.5 Uganda 2 0 2 0 13.5 18.5 32 AMERICAS Played Won Lost Drawn Bonus points Total batting bowling points Bermuda 2 2 0 0 14 20 62 Canada 2 1 1 0 17 20 51 Cayman Islands 2 0 2 0 12 11 23 ASIA Played Won Lost Drawn Bonus points Total batting bowling points United Arab Emirates 2 1 1 0 10.5 16.5 41 Nepal 2 1 0 1 10 16.5 40.5 Hong Kong 2 0 1 1 8 10 18 EUROPE Played Won Lost Drawn Bonus points Total batting bowling points Ireland 2 1 0 1 14.5 12.5 41 Scotland 2 0 1 1 11 10 21 Netherlands 2 0 0 2 4.5 7 11.5 Scoring system: Win = 14 points. Tie = 7 points. No points awarded for a draw or a loss. Bonus points awarded over both innings: 0.5 points for every 25 runs scored (restricted to a maximum of four points in the second innings); and 0.5 points for every wicket taken. The first innings of each side is restricted to 90 overs. If the side batting first does not use all of the 90 overs the side batting second can bat for the 90 overs plus the number of overs unused. SEMI-FINALS Kenya (16.5 points) drew with Bermuda (11.5 points) Ireland (20 points) drew with United Arab Emirates (13 points) FINAL Ireland beat Kenya by 6 wickets The second year of the competition followed the same format as the first, namely three countries competing in each of four regional groups, Africa, America, Asia and Europe, with the winners of each group going forward to the semi-finals. The semi-finals and final were hosted by Namibia. There were two changes in the competing countries. Hong Kong replaced Malaysia in the Asia Group where the participants were based on the finishing positions in the Asian Cricket Council Fast Track Countries Tournament, a competition between the leading Asian Associate countries played along similar lines to the Intercontinental Cup. The United Arab Emirates won the inaugural tournament in 2004, beating Hong Kong in the final with Nepal finishing in third place. In the America Group the Cayman Islands were a late replacement for the USA after the United States of America Cricket Association were suspended from the ICC in a dispute about financial management and administration. So late was the ICC’s decision to remove the USA from the competition that the American squad had already been chosen and the Cayman Islands had little time to prepare. This year all fifteen matches in the competition lasted into the third day, indicating that again the cricketers had no difficulties switching from limited-overs to three-day cricket. Many captains and coaches showed considerable tactical nous which resulted in playing the system of bonus 47