Sharad’s century helps Nepal to victory

(2010-2-24)

Nepal remained the only unbeaten team in the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division-V after a brilliant century by Sharad Vesawkar powered the hosts to a 193-run victory over Fiji at the match at Tribhuvan University Stadium, Kirtipur.
Batting first, Nepal scored 267-7 and restricted Fiji for 74-9 in 26.4 overs. One batsman of Fiji can’t bat due to his injury. Another failure of opener Dipendra Chaudhary and Mehboob Alam followed by Shakti Gauchan’s duck made early trouble in a wobbly position of 35-3 at the end of 10th over. Then the skipper Paras Khadka and Sharad start the build the concrete and record setting partnership of 130 runs to take Nepal in a out of harm's way position. Nepal’s previous best partnership is 126 runs between Sharad Vesawkar and Gyanendra Malla at the ACC Trophy against Qatar in 2008.
Sharad hits two huge sixes and eight four to score105 not out in his 134 balls knock. Other major contributor are Basanta Regmi, Gyanendra Malla, Mehboob Alam and Mahesh Chhetri scored 27, 10, 10 and 8 not out respectively. For Fiji, Kida and Tavo took 3 wickets each.
Chasing the mammoth total, Fiji never looks good as their first wickets fell at 17 runs in board. Basanta Regmi returns with brilliant figure of 5.4-2-11-4. Shakti Gauchan took 2 wickets and Binod Das and Alam took 1 wicket apiece.


At the Pulchowk Engineering grounds, Singapore scored 245-9 and dismissed the USA for 146 runs in 37.5 overs. Contributions from top order batsmen backed up by tight bowling helped Singapore defeat a formidable USA team by 99 runs. Narender Reddy (51) scored a half-century while, Pramodh Raja (45), Chetan Suryawanshi (34), Buddhika Mendis (27) and Anish Param (24) contributed valuable runs for Singapore. Kevin Darlington took four and Lennox Cush grabbed two wickets for the USA.
Only Steve Massiah (50) scored significantly in the USA run chase as the dangermen Cush (14) and R Marshall (13) were dismissed cheaply. Jackie Manoj-Kumar claimed four while Saad Janjua and Reddy grabbed two wickets each for Singapore.
Meanwhile, Qamar Saeed scored 50 and took six wickets to guide Bahrain to a 27-run win over Jersey.
Held at the Birendra Sainik Awasiya Mahavidhyalaya grounds in Bhaktapur, Bahrain scored 264-7 thanks to lower order batsmen Saeed (50), Azeem ul Haq (48) and Tahir Dar (44). In reply, Jersey were all out for 237 runs in 46.5 overs. Skipper Ryan Driver made 80 and Dean Morrison 49. Saeed returned with the figures of 6-33 in 9.5 overs.