New Zealand survive Irish scare
Tim Southee helped New Zealand avoid the humilation of losing to Ireland with a fine knock of 94
14-Feb-2006
A round-up from the quarter-finals of the Under-19 World Cup Plate Championship
USA 220 for 8 (Punoo 64) beat Namibia 219 for 8 (Grove 58) by two wickets
Scorecard
Hemant Punoo, USA's captain, led from the front to spearhead his side's win in the Under-19 World Cup on Tuesday. Punoo's 2 for 36 and aggressive 64 with the bat allowed his side to beat Namibia by two wickets with an over to spare and, consequently, means they will now face New Zealand in the Plate Championship semi-final on Wednesday. Namibiar were, at one stage, batting nicely thanks to half-centuries from Pieter Grove (58) and Dawid Botha (56). They reached 121 for 2 and later on were 151 for 3 only to be reined back in the latter stages of the innings. In reply, with his side struggling on 44 for 3, Punoo played a vital innings and reached his fifty in 76 balls as the USA crept home by two wickets.
Scorecard
Hemant Punoo, USA's captain, led from the front to spearhead his side's win in the Under-19 World Cup on Tuesday. Punoo's 2 for 36 and aggressive 64 with the bat allowed his side to beat Namibia by two wickets with an over to spare and, consequently, means they will now face New Zealand in the Plate Championship semi-final on Wednesday. Namibiar were, at one stage, batting nicely thanks to half-centuries from Pieter Grove (58) and Dawid Botha (56). They reached 121 for 2 and later on were 151 for 3 only to be reined back in the latter stages of the innings. In reply, with his side struggling on 44 for 3, Punoo played a vital innings and reached his fifty in 76 balls as the USA crept home by two wickets.
Nepal 192 for 9 (Malla 64) beat Uganda 132 (Hamza Almuzahim 24)
Scorecard
Uganda's batting again failed as they failed to chase down a modest total from Nepal of 193. The Ugandans were dismissed for just 132; their previous efforts of 74 (Pakistan), 137 (New Zealand) and 84 (Bangladesh) means that, in four matches, their average total is just 107. Nepal adopted a high-risk strategy of batting first despite the fact no other team had done that after winning the toss at the venue throughout the competition so far. It looked to be a costly gamble, too, as they slipped to 85 for 5 before Gayanendra Malla (64) and Basant Regmi (42 not out) hauled them back to post a useful total, if not a dominating one, of 192 for 9. They needn't have worried: although Uganda's openers, Hamza Almuzahim (24) and Arthur Kyobe (16) added 56 for the first wicket, they quickly slipped to 65 for 4. Jimmy Okello (18) and Semanda (23) staged a mini-recovery, but it was too little too late.
Scorecard
Uganda's batting again failed as they failed to chase down a modest total from Nepal of 193. The Ugandans were dismissed for just 132; their previous efforts of 74 (Pakistan), 137 (New Zealand) and 84 (Bangladesh) means that, in four matches, their average total is just 107. Nepal adopted a high-risk strategy of batting first despite the fact no other team had done that after winning the toss at the venue throughout the competition so far. It looked to be a costly gamble, too, as they slipped to 85 for 5 before Gayanendra Malla (64) and Basant Regmi (42 not out) hauled them back to post a useful total, if not a dominating one, of 192 for 9. They needn't have worried: although Uganda's openers, Hamza Almuzahim (24) and Arthur Kyobe (16) added 56 for the first wicket, they quickly slipped to 65 for 4. Jimmy Okello (18) and Semanda (23) staged a mini-recovery, but it was too little too late.