Bangladesh and Nepal storm into ACC Women's Tournament final after easy semi-finals victories in Malaysia

Debutant Bangladesh set up a final date with Nepal after both teams recorded comfortable victories in the semi-finals of the ACC (Asian Cricket Council) Women's Tournament in Johor Bahru, Malaysia on Tuesday.

Bangladesh defeated pre-tournament favourites Hong Kong by 59 runs at the IPTI ground, while Nepal, which won the ICC Development Program Annual Award for best women's cricket initiative in 2006, got the better of China at the Johor Cricket Academy, winning by seven wickets.

The clash between the two victorious semi-finalists will be played at Johor Cricket Academy on Wednesday.

In the match between two of the pre-tournament favourites, Bangladesh, put into bat, posted a competitive 100-7 from the 30 allotted overs. Panna Ghosh was the star of Bangladesh's batting, scoring 39 runs and also featuring in two crucial partnerships.

She added 39 runs for the fourth wicket with Salma Khatun and then put on 20 runs in the last four overs with Tithi Rani Sarker to lift Bangladesh to its eventual score.

Hong Kong, in reply, was bowled out for 41 as 16-year-old Champa Chakma proved to be almost unplayable and finished with figures of 3-16, including the prized scalp of Neisha Pratt.

Hong Kong captain Pratt said she was disappointed with the performance of the batsmen but felt her team showed good potential. She said: "There are many positives we can draw from this tournament. Our young players really got stuck in and showed a lot of character, especially in the bowling department.

"Clearly our batting has been disappointing and we'll be working hard on this area. We've now seen the level of competition in Asian women's cricket and with a lot of hard work from the squad and continuing provision of resources, Hong Kong can be confident of competing successfully at this and higher levels moving forward."

In the other semi-final, China was bowled out for 40 in 28.5 overs after it had won the toss and elected to bat. Nepal's Keshari Choudhary took 3-5 while Ritu Kanoujiya, Sita Ranamagar, Nari Thapa and Neetu Thapa took one wicket each.

China made Nepal's target chase easier by conceding 21 extras as the winners achieved the target for the loss of three wickets in 14.3 overs. Opener Madhu Thapa scored 10.

China coach Rashid Khan said he was proud of his team's performance in the tournament. "We came here with very little experience and unaware of the strength of the opponents. But we can now go back with our heads high as we won two games and reached the semi-finals," he said.

Khan, a former Pakistan Test all-rounder, who played the 1983 ICC Cricket World Cup, predicted a bright future for China. "These girls have the talent and they are quick learners. I have no doubts in my mind that they will get better from here as there is plenty to learn.

"When we go home we will build our team from whatever experience we have acquired here. Obviously, things you learn in real action you can't learn in training sessions. In that context, I am extremely happy to have been given this opportunity which will help China's women's development programme a long way," Khan said.

The increased profile and role for women's cricket in the region is all part of the ACC's five-year strategic development plan and has seen it release special funds to the non-Test playing teams for preparatory purposes.

The idea behind the drive is to synchronise women's cricket in the region among developing ICC Members and, at the same time, provide the players with match action which, it is hoped, will speed up their understanding of the game and their skill levels.

Women's cricket came under the auspices of the ICC and ACC in 2005 when the ICC merged with the International Women's Cricket Council (IWCC). Before merger, the IWCC had 15 members and since integration the women's game has grown fast and there were now 42 members with formal girls' and/or women's teams playing in structured cricket competitions.

A further 23 do not have competition teams yet but do have girls in junior development initiatives. That makes 71 of ICC's 101 members with some women's cricket and it is growing all the time.