Sports
Nepal sign off with defeat
Nepal signed off their preparation tour of India with a five-run loss to Centre for Sports Science (CSS) in their final practice match in Chennai on Monday.Nepal signed off their preparation tour of India with a five-run loss to Centre for Sports Science (CSS) in their final practice match in Chennai on Monday.
Batting first, Wilkins Victory defied Nepali bowlers as CSS recovered from 135-7 to reach 215 all out in 50 overs.
Nepal saw their captain Paras Khadka open the innings and provide a brisk start but the middle order failed to cash in on the stand and the visitors crumbled to 210 in 40.3 overs.
It was Nepal’s only defeat in the tour having won previous three matches convincingly.
Khadka, rested for the match against Tamil Nadu ‘A’ on Saturday, promoted himself up the order on a day when Nepal didn’t field two of their centurions Gyanendra Malla and Sharad Vesawkar.
Khadka and Sagar Pun added 84 runs from 12.5 overs before the captain lost his wicket for a 40-ball 49 that included seven boundaries and a six.
Nepal then lost Aarif Sheikh (seven) cheaply before Pun and Dipendra Singh Airee notched up a 61-run third wicket stand.
Pun brought up his second half century of the tour making 69 off 84 balls with seven fours and two sixes.
Nepal were coasting towards another comprehensive victory at 175-3 in 31 overs but once they lost Binod Bhandari (15), their innings began to crumble.
Airee was next to go for 45 off 54 balls as Nepal lost their last seven wickets for just 35 runs. Airee struck six boundaries.
Arun Balaji was the pick of the CSS bowlers taking 5-15, while Victor snapped 4-40 from 6.3 overs.
Earlier, Nepal had reduced CSS to 135-7 in 37 overs but Victor staged a fightback combining with L Ganesh (20) for a match-winning 73-run partnership.
Victor made 74 off 89 balls with nine fours and a six. Opener Ananth was their next best scorer, making 45 off 72 deliveries with four boundaries and a maximum.
Left arm spinner Sushan Bhari Shrestha took 3-26 from nine overs, while seamer Karan KC (2-35) and leg spinner Sandeep Lamichhane (2-46) shared four wickets between them.
Nepali team will return on Wednesday. Nepal are preparing for the ICC World Cricket League Championship away matches against Hong Kong scheduled for October 13 and 15.
Summary
Centre for Sports Science 215 all out in 50 overs (W Victor 74, Ananth 45; S Bhari 3-26, K KC (2-35) beat Nepal 210 all out in 40.3 overs (S Pun 69, P Khadka 49, DS Airee 45; A Balaji 5-15, W Victor 3-40) by five runs