Kathmandu –
Nepal U19 registered an emphatic 8 wicket victory against side Ireland in the ongoing ICC U-19 World Cup Qualifier in Malaysia. With the win Nepal finished on top of the league table with wins in all four matches. Nepal and Ireland will lock horns once more tomorrow in the final of the event. The winner of tomorrow’s match will qualify for ICC U-19 World Cup in Bangladesh.
Batting first Ireland posted 184/7 riding on half century of Aaron Gillespie. In reply Nepal chased the target losing only two wickets in 42.5 overs.
Nepalese openers, Sunil Dhamala and Sandeep Sunar’s 170 run stand highlighted Nepal win as duo set the highest opening stand for Nepal in youth cricket. Dhamala made 75 runs before falling to Rory Anders.His innings of 121 balls included 3 fours and 3 sixes in the 40th over. Sandeep Sunar fell 2 balls later run out for 85. He scored 7 fours and a six in his innings
Skipper Raju Rijal(16) and Yogendra Karki(4) then guided Nepal home adding 20 runs in 2.4 overs. Needing 2 to win Raju smashed Tom Stanton for a six to finish the match in style for Nepal
Earlier, winning the toss Ireland opted to bat first and openers got them to a great start. Skipper Jack Tector added 53 runs for the first wicket with Andrew Austin. Austin was plying his first match of the tournament. Prem Tamang then broke twice in 2 balls pull back Ireland. Austin(13) was trapped lbw while Dennison(0) was caught by Aarif in the 15th over. Tamang then dismissed Jack Trector caught and bowled for 46 runs in the 19th over at score of 72.
Ireland struggled plying spin and lost 4 more wickets for 29 runs. Lalit Rajbansi dismissed tournament’s top scorer Lorcan Tucker(3) and Gary McClintock(27), Prem got rid of Gary’s twin brother William McClintock(1) and Sushil Kandel got Rory Anders for a duck.
Aaron Gillespie and Tom Stanton the staged an incredibly fight back adding unbeaten 83 runs for the 8th wicket. Gillespie scored 58 runs from 91 balls. His innings included 6 fours and a six. Tom Stanton made 30 from 35 balls.
The duo consolidated again the spinners and when Nepal introduced seamers late in the innings after running out of spinners they scored freely. The added 58 runs in the last 8 overs. Dipendra Airee’s 4 overs costed 26 runs and they finished the innings in style adding 16 of the last over.
Nepal once against bowled with incredible discipline giving only 6 extras. Having completed the 50 overs half an hour before the lunch Nepal batted 6 over before lunch and added 24 runs.
