JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia made a strong start in the ACC Challenge Cup 2010 by thrashing China by a massive 234 runs in Group B opening match Saturday. Powered by an explosive 81 by Amir Sajjad Saudi Arabia clicked as a team to post a match-winning total of 283-9 in 50 overs. Sajjad's sparkling knock won him the Man of the Match award also. Saudi batsmen started in an aggressive fashion despite losing Khuram Karamat for 9. Hammad Saeed was in sublime touch as he raced to 45 off just 40 balls. Shafiq Ahmad dropped anchor with a solid 39. Samar scored 22 quick runs and put up a partnership of 89 off 77 balls for the eighth wicket with Sajjad. Chinese bowlers looked rusty throughout the innings and could not find the right line and length. Zhang Yufei was the pick of the bowlers with 3-65 while Zhang Qirui claimed 2-39 and Wang Jing 2-47. The Saudi bowlers started striking early. With wickets falling at regular intervals and with Mohammad Afzal producing a miserly spell (7-2-15-2) China was tottering at 46 for 9 by the 18th over. Mohammad Abdullah Khan then snatched 10th wicket in the 19th over to finish with 2-7. Shafiq Ahmad and Hussain Anwar Bhatti claimed two each. Brief scores: Group A: Iran beat Thailand by 4 runs. Iran 174-8 (A. Ebrahimipour). Thailand 170 all out in 45.4 overs (S. Dhanuka 36, M. Jayezeh 3-29). Qatar defeated Myanmar by 9 wickets. Myanmar 38 all out in 26.4 overs. Qatar: 39-1 off 6 overs. Man of the Match: Omran Hussein (Qatar). Group B: Saudi Arabia routed China by 234 runs. Saudi Arabia 283-9 (S. Ahmed 39, H. Saeed 45, A. Sajjad 81, Z. Yufei 3-65). China: 49 all out in 19 overs. Man of the Match: Amir Sajjad (Saudi Arabia) Maldives downed Brunei by 8 wickets. Brunei 117 all out in 40 overs. Maldives: 118
