Winning the toss and inviting Uganda to bat first, Nepal bundled out the African side for a paltry 151 for eight in 50 overs. In reply Nepal made 153 for the loss of five wickets with 64 balls still remaining. [break]
Some tight overs by Nepali bowlers restricted Uganda batsmen from scoring free runs from the start of the match. Nepal removed Uganda openers A Koybe (1) and M Masaba (13) within the first 16 overs with just 31 runs on board.
Nepal kept strangulating Uganda innings until the entire side collapsed for a lowly total. Hadn’t its lower order batsmen contributed some quick late runs, Uganda would have ended up with an even smaller total.
Rahul Vishwakarma and Basanta Regmi took two wickets each, while skipper Paras Khadka, Prithu Baskota, and Shakti Gauchan grabbe one each. One Uganda batsman was run out.
Nepal cricket team with trophy. (Photo courtesy: CAN)
Pradeep Airee collecting his man of the match trophy. (Photo courtesy: CAN)
Nepal had a shaky run chase losing Subash Khakurel (4) cheaply in 2.1 overs. Nepal looked headed to real trouble when it lost Gyanendra Malla (5), skipper Paras Khadka (1) in a quick succession with 30 runs on board in 10.4 overs.
However, it was a timely 77-run fourth wicket partnership between another opener Pradeep Airee (60) and Sharad Vesawkar (50) that really swung the game in Nepal’s favor.
Man of the match Airee hit five fours and four sixes in his 95-ball knock, whereas Vesawkar smashed four fours facing 83 balls. With Vesawkar, Prithu Baskota, who made 19 off 24 balls with two fours and a six, remained not out.
For Uganda, H Ssenyondo took two wickets , while C Waiswa, F Nsubuga and D Arinaitwe claimed one each. The win also meant a sweet revenge for Nepal who had lost to Uganda by six wickets in the league round.
USA, Oman win
In the third place play-off, the USA beat host Bermuda by 30 runs. Electing to bat first at St David’s Cricket Club Ground, the USA posted a challenging 271 for seven in 50 overs, with S Taylor, who also emerged the highest run-scorer in the tournament, hitting a brisk 97 off 95 balls, including 11 fours and a six.
In reply, Bermuda was all out for 241 in 48.4 overs. For the home team, D Hemp topscored with 45. In an crucial encounter during league round, Bermuda had defeated the same side by five wickets, shattering the USA’s strong prospect of qualification and, instead, cementing Nepal’s way to the final--and with it, to the Division Two and the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers
In the fifth place play-off played at Somerset Cricket Club, Oman beat Italy by five wickets. Batting first, Italy scored 207 all out 48.4 overs. Oman chased down the target in 44.5 overs losing just five wickets. Both the teams have been relegated to the Division Four.
Related story
World Cup warm-up: Canada sets Nepal a competitive target of 16...
