Second Plate finalist to be decided on reserve day

The second Plate finalist of the ICC Under-19 World Cup has still to be decided as just 45 overs were played at Lincoln today.

Nepal reached 136/6 before the cut-off point of 8pm on a day of poor weather at Lincoln No. 3. Basudev Thapa was 19 not out and Manjit Shrestha was unbeaten on eight.

Coach Roy Dias told CricInfo: "We are may be looking for another 30 runs tomorrow. One hundred and sixty will be a good score to defend."

The former Sri Lanka international added, "The boys have been fielding very well and have backed up the bowlers. Hopefully they will do well for us tomorrow."

Play began at 4pm, but only lasted 15 minutes before the storm returned during which time Nepal lost a wicket.

With tall right-armer Ashiqur Rahman's fourth ball Yashwant Subedi was trapped lbw on the crease for a duck.

On the resumption, at 5.30pm, Nepal nudged on, knowing that with a spin attack of three bowlers who all have runs per over records of less than three an over.

The fifty was brought up off 110 balls and included a single boundary, struck through the on side by Kanishka Chaugai, who had two lives before going for 14.

The small but enthusiastic crowd of Nepalese flag-wavers cheered every run, hoping that their economical spinners will once again be able to defend a modest total as they have throughout the tournament.

Nepal's top batsman Bardan Chalise came in when Subedi went and lasted to the 34th over, making 27 off 89 deliveries.

The other main contributor was Prem Chaudhury (25), who helped Chalise add 44 for the fourth wicket.

Bangladesh's outstanding bowler was SK Rassel, a left-arm in-swing paceman, who made his first impression of the competition by removing Chaugai and Sakthi Gauchan for 21 runs.

Fellow opening bowler Ashiqur played on the strokelessness of the Nepalese batsmen with one for 22 in his 10 over spell.

Tomorrow Nepal will have to rely on their spinners and their fielding, which has been some of the keenest seen in the tournament, and that the team bats low down the order and can hit a few runs in the 30 balls remaining.