World Cricket League: Scotland in charge against Nepal

SCOTLAND were frustrated by the weather yesterday in their attempt to secure a second World Cricket League win over Nepal at Cambusdoon, Ayr.

Nepal batsmen Prithu Baskota and Sharad Vesawkar (right) make runs on a day dominated by the bowlers. Picture: Donald MacLeod

Having opted to bowl first, the Scots dismissed their rivals for 167 but, after a lengthy weather interruption between innings, had reached 15-0 from only ten deliveries that were possible before the rain washed out play for the day.

They will return this morning requiring a further 90 runs from 20.2 overs to claim a further two points and join the Netherlands at the top of the eight-team WCL Championship table.

While the Scottish bowlers had looked fatigued in the opening encounter on Wednesday, yesterday they were dominant, refusing to let the Nepal batsmen claim the initiative.

The tone was set by Ali Evans, who struck in his second over to remove Mahesh Chhetri, the batsman caught by George Munsey.

Safyaan Sharif then removed Wednesday’s centurion, Anil Mandal. After 21 deliveries had failed to yield a single boundary, Mandal tried to carve a short ball through the offside but top-edged to Craig Wallace at third man.

Mark Watt then claimed a wicket with his first delivery in 50-over international cricket, trapping Gyanendra Malla in front. It was to be the left-arm spinner’s only scalp but a return of 1-32 from his ten-over stint represented a welcome rehabilitation following the painful mauling at the hands of Afghanistan’s Mo Shahzad which effectively ended Watt’s action in the World T20 Qualifier. At 31-3, Nepal were in desperate need of a partnership but only ten runs were added before Paras Khadka was caught by Matthew Cross off Gavin Main. Cross’s full-length diving catch then ended Pradeep Airee’s promising knock on 16.

Sharad Vesawkar offered the most sustained resistance, facing 66 balls and managing 30 runs before Cross claimed his third catch as Evans returned. Evans also accounted for Prithu Baskota, trapped lbw, and finished with impressive figures of 3-18 while Sharif and Main joined Michael Leask in claiming two each.

The delay means the majority of the Scotland players who had been due to return to their clubs will again be missing this afternoon while Ayr’s scheduled Western Union clash with Drumpellier has been put on hold.