ACS Overseas First-Class Annual 2016

Rest of the World in 2015/16 As usual, this section consists entirely of matches in Namibia and the United Arab Emirates, although had the weather not interposed a veto it would also have included Hong Kong’s home match against Scotland in the Intercontinental Cup 2015-17. Nevertheless, the Cup accounts for a match in Namibia and three matches in the UAE. There were further matches in the Cup in 2016 (as well as one in Australia and another in India in 2015/16) and an interim table appears in the ‘Matches in 2016’ section. This section also includes Namibia’s home matches in the Sunfoil Cup, the three-day competition for South African provincial sides. This is not, to be frank, the strongest of tournaments, and Namibia’s showing in it has not impressed; Namibia lost eight of its ten matches in the competition, six of them by an innings and another by ten wickets, although at least a win was achieved this year (against Northern Cape). Also found in this section is the game between MCC and the defending county champions (in this case, Yorkshire). This is traditionally regarded as the curtain-raiser to the English season, and was formerly played at Lord’s in April but in recent years has taken place in the UAE in late March. MCC won a closely-fought game by four wickets. The only other games in this section are Pakistan’s three ‘home’ Tests against England, played in the UAE in October and November. These are discussed in the introduction to the Pakistan section. (JCB) Abandoned Match Hong Kong v Scotland, Mission Road Ground, Hong Kong, 21, 22, 23, 24 January 2016. Rain. 551