MCC hammer Nepal in three-day match

Kathmandu, November 8

Marylebone Cricket Club defeated Nepal national cricket team by 208 runs in the three-day match under their Legacy Tour here at the Tribhuvan University Stadium today.

Chasing a target of 393 runs after the MCC declared their second innings at 181-6, the home side was bowled out for 184 runs in 40.4 overs. The MCC scored 364 in the first innings before packing Nepal for 153. MCC will now face the mixed squad of Nepal national team and U-19 side in the Twenty20 match on Saturday.

Nepal national team had defeated the MCC in the 50-over match on November 5, while the tourists had opened the tour with a victory over U-19 side.

Sompal Kami was the highest scorer in Nepal’s second innings, hitting five boundaries and a six in his 83-ball 51. Another bowler, Sandeep Lamichhane scored 25 off 19 balls with the help of a four and two sixes, while opener Raju Rijal scored 31 off 29 balls that included six fours.

Aarif Sheikh (19), Karan KC (18) and Sharad Vesawkar (15) got good starts but they failed to convert their knocks into big ones.

Gyanendra Malla made the forgetful international debut as skipper after he managed just six runs after falling for a duck in the first innings. Malla got the captaincy days before the MCC’s tour following the resignation of Paras Khadka.

Oliver Hannon-Dalby completed the five-wicket haul taking 5-11 from six overs, while Alex Thomson claimed 3-64. Chris Wright and Miles Hammond grabbed one wicket each for the visiting side.

Earlier, the MCC resumed at 91-2 with skipper Tom Westley (17) and Hammond (three) at the crease. Karan KC bowled Hammond after he had added eight runs to his overnight score, while Sompal Kami had Westley caught by Sharad Vesawkar for 34 off 44 balls that included five boundaries. After William Vanderspar (six) became KC’s second victim of the day, Ed Young and Yasir Arafat added 44 runs for the fifth wicket and KC separated the pair when he bowled the former for 25-ball 31 that included four fours and a six.

Arafat and Alexander Spencer had added 14 runs for the seventh wicket before MCC skipper Westley declared the innings setting improbable target of 393 runs.

Karan KC returned with 3-45, while Sompal Kami, Pawan Sarraf and Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi grabbed one wicket each for the home team.

After tomorrow’s match against the mixed team, the MCC will travel to Pokhara. The MCC will play two Twenty20 matches against local sides on November 11-12.