I played golf at home but didn't see my coach or didn't really practice as much as I wanted to but hopefully things will turn around in the second half of the year.'

Ghei, who has three Asian Tour titles against his name, said: 'I hit a few good shots and putted well today so that was a big thing. I played pretty solid golf, made six birdies and actually missed birdies on five and six which are really easy holes.'

The 18-year-old Noh, winner of the Midea China Classic and Rookie of the Year last season, and Kiradech, 20, shot a three-under-par 68 and 70 respectively to head the pack with their two-day total of seven-under-par 135 at the Seri Selangor Golf Club.

The supremely talented duo lead by one stroke from South Africa's James Kamte and Malaysian Shaaban Hussain in the RM1 million (US$300,000) Asian Tour tournament. Kamte stayed in the hunt with a battling 70 while Shaaban produced a 69 to fly the local flag.

Australian Mitchell Brown, Chinese Taipei veteran Lu Chien-soon and another Malaysian, S. Siva Chandhran lie in tied fifth position on 137, going into the final two rounds.

The halfway cut was set at three-over-par 145 with 71 players making the last two rounds. Overnight leader Danny Chia of Malaysia, still suffering from flu, slipped back to tied 30th place after a 77 while title holder Ben Leong is in joint 55th place on 144.