Nepal and USA move closer to promotion after third consecutive victories
Nepal and USA took a step closer to securing the two promotion places from the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 5 after defeating Bahrain and Jersey respectively in Kathmandu on Tuesday.
But Singapore?s amazing comeback against Fiji means there is still pressure on the joint leader in the remaining two group games, particularly as it faces the USA in a vital game on Wednesday.
Nepal skipper Paras Khadka was delighted with his side?s eight-wicket victory over Bahrain and was looking forward to Wednesday?s clash with Fiji.
"We have done very well so far and tomorrow we may be in a position where we have qualified," he said.
"I am looking forward to playing at the university ground tomorrow as that is where we train every day so we?re happy to be back there."
After fog delayed the start of play at the Army Ground, Bahrain put up a below-par performance with the bat as it was dismissed for 114 by Nepal, despite having been 49-1 at one stage.
Basant Regmi was the star, taking 4-11, while Sanjam Regmi delivered an excellent spell of 3-18.
Nepal then lost both openers inside two overs, but a brilliant innings from captain Khadka (71 not out) in a stand of 108 helped his side secure a third straight win.
The USA was made to work hard by Jersey for a 66-run victory to also maintain its 100 per cent record in the event.
Jersey must have felt confident of repeating its win over the USA at the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 5 in 2008, when a brilliant spell from Ryan Driver (3-25) helped reduce Steve Massiah?s side to 55-5.
However, a 118-run partnership between Carl Wright (76) and Aditya Thyagarajan (83 not out) brought the US back into the game. It then delivered an electrifying display of hitting with Rashard Marshall hitting five fantastic sixes in a 21-ball innings of 42 not out to post an impressive target of 253-6 off 50 overs.
Dean Morrison once again showed fine form in making 36 and with Samuel de la Haye (also 36) provided a platform for Jersey to chase its target. But no batsman went on to play the big innings required to win the match as Lennox Cush (4-37) claimed four wickets to seal what in the end turned out to be a comfortable victory.
Man of the match Carl Wright, who had to leave the field early due to a finger injury sustained while keeping wicket, said: "I?m delighted ? it was a real team effort to achieve the victory.
"The pitch was difficult to bat on so I aimed to occupy the crease for as long as possible and eventually it paid off for me. The situation called for that type of innings so I just tried my best.
"We still have two games to go and we are just trying to take it one game at a time and hopefully in our next match we can put in a good performance."
In the other game of the day, Singapore achieved a remarkable victory over Fiji to keep alive its hopes of promotion.
Fiji?s batting once again looked like it had let it down when no batsman made more than Jo Rika?s 32, but an important 10th-wicket stand of 48 runs from Sakaraia Lomani (16) and Viliame Yabaki (18) helped it recover to 194 all out.
Singapore had a disastrous start when it lost three wickets in the space of four balls, in the fifth over, to reduce it to 33-3, before recovering to reach 85-4.
Sakaraia Lomani (3-33) then earned his third wicket of the match to dismiss Riaz Hussien to spark another collapse which saw Singapore in all kinds of trouble at 106-7.
Singapore?s 38-year-old skipper Monish Arora then played the innings of the tournament as he hit 94 not out to help his side reach its target with 14 balls to spare.
In Wednesday?s matches, Fiji face Nepal, Bahrain play Jersey and Singapore take on USA.