Nepal, Uganda secure promotions

Uganda sealed their place in the WCL Division Three final and secured a promotion into Division Two with a seven-wicket win over Bermuda in Selangor.

Uganda's slow bowlers played a crucial role once again as the off-spin pair of captain Frank Nsubuga and Davis Arinaitwe, and left-arm spinner Henry Ssenyondo took three wickets each to tie Bermuda down to 140 in the 40th over. Bermuda's innings was dotted with a few double-digit scores but Kamau Leverock was the only one to score more than 20, making a 25-ball 27.

Roger Mukasa, Uganda's leading run-scorer in the tournament, then scored his second fifty of the last three games to boost the side to victory in the 25th over. His 68-ball 86 had nine fours and two sixes.

Nepal also entered the Division Three final and secured their promotion into Division Two after beating Malaysia by 36 runs (D/L method) in a rain-marred match.

Paras Khadka led from the front, getting the first Malaysia wicket in the second over and quickly taking three more, even as opener Anwar Arudin kept the score moving with a brisk half-century. Arudin's departure for 69 in the 32nd over triggered another collapse that saw the side lose its last six wickets for 31 runs.

Opener Naresh Budayair and Gyanendra Malla shared a 69-run second-wicket stand that helped Nepal negate the early loss of Subash Khakurel. Rain forced players off the field after 25 overs a couple of overs after Malla had fallen, but Nepal were ahead of the par score, ensuring their progress into the final.

USA were relegated to Division Four, after a middle-order collapse handed the hosts Singapore a 32-run D/L win in Kuala Lumpur. The result also sealed Bermuda's fate, who too, like USA, were sent down to Division Four after losing four of their five games.

Chasing a revised target of 200 from 42 overs due to a rain interruption in the second innings, USA were well-placed at 116 for 2 in the 27th over, thanks to an 80-run opening stand between Steven Taylor and Fahad Babar. However, Taylor's wicket for 56 led to a slide that saw USA lose their last eight wickets for just 51 runs. Selladore Vijayakumar was the pick of Singapore's bowlers, finishing with 4 for 43, while Amjad Mahboob and Abhiraj Singh chipped in with two wickets apiece, to bundle USA out for 167 inside 40 overs.

Singapore, opting to bat, had earlier made 225 for 7 from their 50 overs. Their innings was built around strong contributions from the top order, with Anish Paraam leading the way by scoring a 73-ball 72 which included four sixes and three fours.