Beyond the Test World
Sharad’s century was the making of today - Khadka
Paras Khadka
Sahil Dutta
25-Feb-2013
Paras Khadka
It was good to be back where belonged today at the ground we always train at TU. We knew that today’s match was important and now Friday’s is going to be even more important to win as the top three in the table are so close.
I am confident in the boys and the way we’ve been playing that we can defeat the USA and continue on the path that we’ve been travelling on during this tournament. I think Fiji were an okay but Sharad’s century was the making of today.
Sharad’s one of our main batsmen so having him in fine form is important for us and to have score his maiden senior century today was brilliant and I am proud of him as captain.
Full postWe deserve to be in Division Four - Cush
Lennox Cush
Sahil Dutta
25-Feb-2013
Lennox Cush
Jersey played well to start with and their captain Ryan Driver made good inroads, but I don’t think they ever really threatened us, despite their potent bowling.
Carl played very well today, he went in at a time when things weren’t going well and I think him and Aditya were really good today and credit goes to both of them for the runs they scored.
I think the earlier bowlers made it easier for me, Daniram and Darlington in particular, they set the tone and pushed the Jersey side back so that I could take the wickets. When I came out they needed to score at six runs an over which made it easier for me – I felt mentally I was more ready to take the wickets.
Full postAfghanistan chase down 494 with Shahzad double
Afghanistan 264 and 494 for 4 (Shahzad 214*, Nabi 80, Mangal 70*) beat Canada 566 and 191 for 4 dec by six wickets Scorecard
Sahil Dutta
25-Feb-2013
Afghanistan 264 and 494 for 4 (Shahzad 214*, Nabi 80, Mangal 70*) beat Canada 566 and 191 for 4 dec by six wickets
Scorecard
Scorecard
There is no challenge too daunting for Afghanistan at the moment. Riding the momentum that led their charge to qualification for the World Twenty20, Mohammmad Shahzad's unbeaten 214 helped them pull off a sensational chase of 494 to beat Canada by six wickets in the Intercontinental Cup at Sharjah.
They now top the table and can credibly lay claim to being one of the strongest Associate nations. That they would even be in a position to draw this match seemed unlikely after Canada racked up 566 batting first before rolling Afghanistan over for 264. However, needing to bat out the day to survive, 18-year-old Shahzad shared two century stands, first with captain Nowroz Mangal and then Mohammad Nabi, that set up and all-but sealed the victory which came with 2.2 to spare.
Full postWe want to do it for the crowds - Khadka
Paras Khadka
Sahil Dutta
25-Feb-2013
Paras Khadka
It feels good to score runs when the team needed it today and it’s nice to get the man of the match again, but the credit should really go to the bowlers and not to me. I’m sharing a room with Basanta and at the moment I’m one ahead of him on the Man of the Match awards, so maybe we’ve got a lucky room number, I’d be quite happy if we keep winning the awards and the matches through till Saturday!
When we reached the ground this morning there was an incredible fog, you couldn’t even see someone five feet in front of you so the umpires decided to reduce the match to 47 overs a piece. Having won the toss we decided to field first and we wanted to use the conditions to our advantage.
Our fast bowlers made a good start and then the spinners did it for us again. Basanta Regmi took four today and Sanjam Regmi took three and then Rahul took two – which I was really happy with. The spinners were turning it fair and square and the Bahrain guys couldn’t read it. Once we took early wickets we just continued to dominate and saw them all out in the 43rd over.
Full postMCC to trial pink balls on Middle Eastern tour
MCC, who are currently engaged in a two-week tour of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Muscat, will be using pink balls in all their games on the trip in order to further test the innovation in Middle Eastern conditions.
Liam Brickhill
25-Feb-2013
MCC, who are currently engaged in a two-week tour of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Muscat, will be using pink balls in all their games on the trip in order to further test the innovation in Middle Eastern conditions.
MCC’s first tour of 2010 includes five 50-over and two Twenty20 games against teams from around the region, as well as a historic match against Durham in Abu Dhabi on March 29. The first three matches will be played at the Zayed International Stadium, and two of the three games will be played under lights.
This year is a landmark for the traditional opener to the English domestic season, with the match not being played at Lord's for the first time. Instead the game, against Durham, will be a four-day day-night fixture with a pink ball, in an attempt to research the feasibility of Test cricket under lights.
Before that game, the team will be travelling to Dubai to play two limited-overs games and provide coaching for local youngsters, before finishing off the tour with two matches against Oman in Muscat.
Full postA good win but we can't get complacent - Cush
Lennox Cush
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Lennox Cush
Well I nearly got my century! After yesterday’s post about how important it was for one of the top four to get into triple figures I thought it was a good idea if I tried to lead from the front. I didn’t quite make it but I’m not unhappy with 91 and I really felt it was a match-winning innings on my behalf for the side. To then take a couple of wickets as well topped off the day nicely.
It’s always nice to win a Man-of-the-Match award and I’m sure it’ll look nice at home in New York – but I’d rather it were the World Cricket League Division 5 trophy that I get to take home to the US.
I didn’t expect Bahrain to be as strong as they were and credit to them, they worked hard today but we proved again that we were the stronger side. I am aware next up we’ve got Jersey who easily beat Fiji today but we musn’t be complacent. Every single match in this tournament is important and we want to go through as winners and table-toppers.
Full postNepal and USA claim second victories
Hosts Nepal continued their strong start to the Division 5 tournament as they beat Singapore , while there were also victories for USA and Jersey on the second day of the tournament.
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Hosts Nepal continued their strong start to the Division 5 tournament as they beat Singapore, while there were also victories for USA and Jersey on the second day of the tournament.
For full reports click here.
Full postHome advantage was crucial - Khadka
Paras Khadka
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Paras Khadka
Wow what a match – it went really down to the wire today. I think I maybe underestimated Singapore’s batting capacity but we proved our abilities out there in front of another great supporting crowd.
When we were around 80 for 5 I really felt that Sarad [Vesawkar] and Basant [Regmi] consolidated very well, I think when our batsmen got set they started to play some big silly shots that cost them and we need to concentrate more to the end and we all need to bat our way through the innings with confidence and not get out cheaply.
I think Singapore bowled very well in their first 20 overs and we just stuck it out as we saw that the ball was seaming about a bit. I’m not sure if they perhaps misread the pitch at Engineering and it’s a place we know a bit better.
Full post'I didn't expect such a big crowd'
Paras Khadka, Nepal
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
Paras Khadka, Nepal
Last night we had the opening ceremony for the ICC World Cricket League Division 5 here in Nepal and what was really great was that the prime minister of Nepal came to open the event and it was great to hear him speak so positively of cricket and his hopes for Nepal in the tournament.
Today has been good but I feel, as a side, we need to improve our intensity and show a bit more energy and we could do wonders. I am not saying that I am not happy with our win over Jersey – we batted and bowled well but there are always ways to improve our game.
I didn’t expect to have such a big crowd at the game as the Army Ground is a fair distance outside Kathmandu but to have over 1000 people there cheering our names, every four, and giving us support was fantastic. We normally get good crowds in Nepal and it’s something that we live for as players to hear our nation’s people cheering us on.
Full post'They tried hard but our plans worked for us'
Lennox Cush, USA
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
Lennox Cush, USA
I think we had a good day today where we played to our plan – we wanted to go out there and make at least 300 and that’s something that we did do. The score may say that Fiji were a weak side but I wouldn’t say that – they tried hard but our plans worked out for us.
We have to play every game with the same mentality and treat it as though it were a final, which is what we did today.
It was good to make a half-century with my first innings of the tournament, but I know I can do better as I am in good nick at the moment after scoring 95 here, in Nepal, during our warm-up match last week against one of the local sides.
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