USA overcome Nepal by 55 runs

USA almost booked their place in the final of ICC World Cricket League Division Three when they overcame their rivals from the fifth Division, Nepal by 55 runs at Pianoro.

Batting first, the USA side struggled to begin with, when Orlando Baker was dismissed for a duck off the second ball of the game. Carl Wright and Steve Massiah then resurrected the innings with a 31-run stand for the second wicket beore Lenox Cush scored a 32 off 37 to take USA to 82/2 in the 18th over.

Cush’s wicket pegged the Americans back with three wickets for 16 and after another 13 runs, the Americans lost their sixth wicket at 111 to raise hopes of ending the USA innings quickly.

It was Sushil Nadkarni, who was sent in down the order – instead of his opening slot – who scored an unbeaten 64, along with Usman Shuja and Muhammad Ghous, pulled USA back to 203/8 in fifty overs.

In reply, the Nepal innings never got underway as Shuja and Ghous added to their crucial stand, by picking up three wickets each. Paras Khadka played a captain’s innings by scoring a 44, and Gyanendra Malla then got a 34, but the rest of the side fell apart without any resistance. Nepal was all out for 148 in the final over of the innings to win the game by 55 runs.

USA play Argentina in their last game.