Singapore has commenced the South East Asian representative season with a deceptive 3-0 series win over Malaysia in the annual Stan Nagiah Trophy played in Singapore over the weekend.

At the time of writing no first hand account of matches was available however the Malaysians, minus five first choice players, were not embarrassed, losing the second match by three runs on the second last ball after the target was revised due to a rain delay. The Malaysian squad included 15-year-old Mohammad Ishrafik.

Singapore was also placed under pressure in the third match scraping hope by one wicket in the second last over. The home team was without key Australian based batsman Joshua Dearing.

Malaysia began its innings in the first match with a 48 run opening partnership between experienced pair, Rakesh Madhavan and Shankar Retinam, before a steady procession of wickets saw Malaysia all-out for 193 Nor Ikhwan Roslee provided some acceleration at the tail of the Malaysian innings with 39 from 36 balls.

While Sunder Mani was Singapore's chief wicket-taker with 3-48 from his allotted 10 overs, Buddhika Mendis was miserly with 2-8 from eight overs.

In reply Singapore managed what the Malaysian batsmen couldn't, putting together some major partnerships, including a second wicket stand of 83 between Kapila Mendis (42) and Glenn Meyer (38). Mendis savaged the Malaysian attack smashing a six and eight fours for a 100 percent strike rate.

An innings of a similar nature from Yazid Imran (87 from 79 balls) was not quite enough for Malaysia to snatch a win over Singapore in the second game.

Yazid's innings included seven sixes and 10 fours as he combined with Venu Ramadass (23 from 22 balls) for an aggressive chase of the rain reduced target of 219 in 46 overs.

Mendis had earlier belted 68 from 84 balls including one six and nine fours in Singapore's 226 all-out, getting assistance from N.Balasubramaniam (47 not out from 44 balls). The Singaporean innings was based around a 64 run partnership between Mendis and captain Zubin Schroff.

Former Malaysian captain, Suresh Navaratnam, returned the best figures of the series, taking 5-39.

Singapore may have made it a 3-0 series win but again Malaysia stretched the home team in the final match.

Madhavan top-scored for Malaysia with a pivotal innings of 74 from 121 balls with Imran playing another aggressive innings of 50 from 56 balls including two fours and two sixes as the visitors totalled 214 all-out in 46.3 overs.

Aided by a generous supply of 37 extras, including 26 wides, from the Malaysian bowlers, Singapore recovered from 6-100 to snare an unlikely win, thanks chiefly to late order batsman S.Seth 35, and Riaz Altaf (32 not out). Stand-in Malaysian captain M.Muniandy was the pick of the bowlers, taking 4-30 from 10 overs.

Brief scores

March 1, 2002 Kallang Cricket Ground, Singapore
Malaysia 193 all-out (46 overs) 
(Nor Ikhwan Roslee 39, R.Madhavan 38, M.Muniandy 29; 
S.Mani 3-48, B.Mendis 2-8, M.Shoaib 2-33) lost to 
Singapore 194-5 (35.3 overs) 
(K.Mendis 42, G.Meyer 38, S.Mendis 31; 
V.Ramadass 2-17, S.Selvaratnam 1-12)
by five wickets.

March 2, 2002 Indian Association Ground, Singapore
Singapore 226 all-out (47.5 overs) 
(K.Mendis 68, Z.Schroff 34, N.Balasubramaniam 47no; 
S.Navaratnam 5-39,M.Muniandy 2-33) defeated 
Malaysia 216 all-out (45.5 overs) 
(Yazid Imran 87, S.Navaratnam 24, V.Ramadass 23 no; 
B.Mendis 2-34, S.Mendis 2-18)
by three runs after target was reduced to 219 in 46 overs 
using the Duckworth Lewis rule

March 3, 2002 Kallang Cricket Ground, Singapore
Malaysia 214-10 (46.3 overs) 
(R.Madhavan 74, Yazid Imran 50; Sunder Mani 5-43) lost to
Singapore 217-9 (48.5 overs) 
(S.Seth 35, B.Mendis 25, Riaz Altaf 32 no; 
M.Muniandy 4-30, S.Navaratnam 3-45)
by one wicket

© ICC 2002