BUENOS AIRES, Jan 28: Papua New Guinea stood proudly on top of the World Cricket League Division Three on Tuesday following their upset 26-run victory against Uganda thanks to four wickets from Jamie Brazier.

And with Afghanistan and Hong Kong also recording victories on a dramatic day of action in Buenos Aires, the race to secure the two remaining places at the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier is wide open.

Martin Gleeson, coach of Papua New Guinea, was delighted that his side secured one of the surprise wins of the day, after defeating previous Division Three champions Uganda.

In the other game of the day, Hong Kong handed Cayman Islands a third straight defeat, to keep Tabarak Dar’s dream of ICC World Cup Qualification alive.

Hong Kong posted a target of 210 in 46.3 overs, with Manoj Cheruparambil hitting an impressive 83, the highest individual score of the tournament so far, with good support from Roy Lamsam (60).

And a regular flurry of wickets saw Cayman Islands finally dismissed for 161 all out, 49 runs short of their target.

The top two teams from this six-nation division will make it to the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in South Africa to be held in April this year.

They will face Kenya, Scotland, Netherlands, Canada, Ireland and Bermuda from Division One and UAE, Oman, Namibia and Denmark who qualified from Division Two. The top four teams from this stage will qualify for the 2011 World Cup finals.

Tuesday’s results:

Afghanistan beat Argentina by 19 runs.

AFGHANISTAN 164 in 47.4 overs (Ahmed Shah 44; H. Barton 3-12); ARGENTINA 145 in 47.4 overs (H. Barton 33).

Hong Kong beat Cayman Islands by 49 runs.

HONG KONG 210 in 46.3 overs (M. Cheruparambil 83; R. Lansam 60); CAYMAN ISLANDS 161 in 48.0 overs.

Papua New Guinea beat Uganda by 26 runs.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA 165 in 49.5 overs; UGANDA 139 in 44.2 overs.—AFP