ACS Overseas First-Class Annual 2018

Rest of the World in 2017/18 Fourteen matches were played outside the bounds of full ICC members in 2017/18: seven in the ICC Intercontinental Cup; Namibia’s five home matches in the South African 3-Day Cup; and two Tests in the UAE between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Pakistan’s adopted home of the UAE has proved something of a fortress in recent years, so it was to Sri Lanka’s great credit that they won the rubber 2-0. The first Test ended with a day of high drama as Sri Lanka, resuming at 69-4, only 66 ahead, appeared to have squandered their chances as they stumbled to 138 all out. But Pakistan’s modest target of 136 proved too much as Rangana Herath, ageless at 39, claimed 6-43. Pakistan’s defeat, by 21 runs, was their first ever at Abu Dhabi. It seems, at the time of writing, that the seven Intercontinental Cup matches rang down the curtain not only on the 2015-17 edition of this event but on the competition as a whole. The ICC has not announced any plans to continue it, and it has apparently been decided, at least for now, that the way forward for non-Test nations does not lie in the first-class game. The Cup concluded with a final round of four matches played simultaneously in the UAE starting on 29 November, resulting in a final table led comfortably by Afghanistan, with a fine record of six wins from seven matches. Ireland were not far behind, with the remaining six sides following at a considerable distance. It had originally been intended that the top two sides would play off in a final, but this now seemed otiose since the decision had already been made to elevate both to Test status. So Afghanistan were declared Intercontinental champions. It seems that only the two new Test nations have a clear future in first-class cricket. The bottom side in the Intercontinental table, Namibia, might also have done so as a participant in South Africa’s second-string competition; but in October 2018 Cricket Namibia announced that for financial reasons the side would no longer take part. In contrast to their bottom place in the Intercontinental Cup, Namibia unexpectedly prospered in what appears to have been their swan song in the South African domestic competition, heading Pool B and reaching the final (in which, however, they were beaten by an innings). For further details, and tables, see the South Africa section. Note that the annual game between MCC and the County Champions, played in the UAE in recent years, took place in Barbados at the end of March and will be found in the West Indies section. (JCB ) ICC Intercontinental Cup 2015-2017: Final table P W WLF L LWF DWF DLF ND A TL Pts Quot 20 14 0 6 9 3 3 10 1 Afghanistan 7 5 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 121 2.187 2 Ireland 7 5 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 109 1.369 3 Netherlands 7 3 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 72 0.958 4 Hong Kong 7 2 0 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 59 0.915 5 United Arab Emirates 7 2 0 4 0 0 0 1 0 4 47 0.816 6 Scotland 7 0 0 2 0 2 0 2 1 12 46 0.840 7 Papua New Guinea 7 1 1 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 43 0.806 8 Namibia 7 1 0 5 0 0 0 1 0 4 27 0.672 639