USA 130/5 in 19.4 overs (Elmore Hutchinson 33, Timroy Allen 31; Sagar Pun 2/25) beat Nepal 129/7 (Gyanendra Malla 38, Sharad Vesawkar 26; M. Ghous 2/29) by 5 wickets
Nepal’s fast bowling has been bothering Nepal for over a year now. Nepali team in the recent times has even played a few matches without the fast bowling. It had to be tested before the bowlers were used for real matches of the Qualifiers
With 30 runs needed in last three overs, Paras handed the ball to Amrit Bhattarai,who had already given 19 runs in his previous 2 overs. USA always had good record against Nepali fast bowlers and Timroy Allen showed nothing had changed as he scored 3 boundried in that over. Rahul had 3 overs left but Paras opted with Amrit
A four of the first ball meant Amrit, who knew he was being tested , was immediately under pressure. He choked the very next ball as he overstepped. The noball was hit for four by Timroy. Allen also got a boundary in the second last ball as he and Santhanam picked 16 runs off Amrit over.
Jitendra was given the ball next! The US batsman played him with ease and picked 11 runs off that over. USA then had only three runs to get in the last over which they got with 3 singles of four balls. Timroy made 31 of 25 balls.
Earlier winning the toss and batting firt Gyanendra Malla stepped up once again when openers were out early.Comming into bat after Khakurel was run out on the 4th ball of the innings he top scored for Nepal with 36 of 38 balls.
Gyanendra Malla had top scored for Nepal against USA in 4 of previous 8 One Day Encounters and this was another such match.
Unlike yeterday captain fell early- out on 6 lbw to Mohammad Ghous and Nepal were 41/3 6.1 overs and Malla as he often does steadied Nepal’s sinking ship.
Malla added 35 for the fourth wicket with Binod Bhandari.Binod made steady 22 of 26 balls.
When Binod was out bowled by Elmore Hutchinson Nepal had just 85 runs on board Sharad Vesawkar took charge. Sharad played steadly with Pun and Basanta initially.
Sharad then opened up in and scored a six and a four in 19th over, which fetched 15 runs. Vesawkar was out in the last over for 26 of 19 balls.
Anil Mandal lofted Sanathanam for a six of the first ball he faced helping Nepal pick up 11 in the final over.
Mohammad Ghous picked two wickets including that of Paras Khadka. Elmore Hutchinson bowled tight 3 overs giving only 14 runs.
USA openers blasted off to terrfic start as Steven Taylor made 20 off just 12 balls. He and Dodson added 30 for the first wicket in 2.3 overs. Taylor got a six and a four in the second over off Sagar Pun to start the carnage for USA.
Amrit was the first to break getting rid of Taylor in the third over, but gave away 12 runs in the over. Pun struck back in the 4th over getting Dodson.
USA seemed at ease with chasing a small total by Nepal. At the end of powerplays they had piled 55 runs losing just 2 wicket.
Nepali spinners once again dragged the game back for Nepal as USA got just 45 runs of next 11 overs.
Sagar Pun who had given 20 runs in his two overs gave just five in the next two. Shakti Gauchan was particularly impressive with ball giving just 16 runs in his four overs. He also got the wicket of Elmore in eighteenth over of 33 runs.
