Lama, Chaugai shine in Nepal’s title victory

BY NARAYAN UPADHYAY

Kirtipur, Oct. 18: A magnificent performance by spinner Lakpa Lama and opener Kanishka Chaugai piloted Nepal’s 7-wicket victory against Malaysia in the final played today at the Kirtipur Cricket Ground. The triumph today helped Nepal claim the Asian Youth Cricket Cup Under-19 title and also gain a place in the World Youth Cricket Cup.

Left arm orthodox spinner Lama who claimed five important wickets of Malaysian in his 9.5 overs’ spell and opener Chaugai who carried the bat throughout the innings remaining notout at 70 runs ensured that the hosts resounding victory to claim the shining ACC trophy.

Lama and the right arm medium pace bowler Binod Das who captured three wickets effectively stopped Malaysians to 139 in 49.5 overs.

Left arm spinner Shakti Gauchan, who earlier did miracles with bat, shone with ball today as he scalped two vital wickets of the rivals. These three bowlers sent the Malaysians, who won the toss and elected to bat first, packing for not so good looking 139 runs in the flat Kirtipur pitch.

The Malaysians started their innings confidently as openers S. Gopinath (23) and Azhar Zainal (12) posted a steady 45 for the first wicket partnership that thwarted opening attacks from Nepal’s Pramod Basnet and Manjit Shrestha. But with the introduction of Gauchan in the 13th over, the Malaysians distress started. They lost their three wickets in a space of eight balls for 45 runs.

Gauchan felled Gopinath’s off-stump to trigger the Malaysian downfall. At the same score of 45, G .Suriaprakash, who came to join A. Zainal and faced four balls was sent back for nought by Gauchan and at the same score Das trapped A.Zainal. Two runs after, Das got K. Sathiaseevan caught by Chaugai at first slip.

When Lama came to bowl, his main target was to claim the wicket of Arul Vivasvan (30 runs) who looked threatening. He had already hammered one four and one six off Sanjam Regmi. Vivasvan could not read a ball from Lama that kept low and was trapped leg before. Maarof Razdi (20 runs ) and Vivasvan added 52 runs for the fifth wicket partnership.

With the departure of Vivasvan (30 runs, 57 balls, one four and one six) when his team’s score was 99 for five in 36 overs, the Malaysians found it hard to score against Lama and Gauchan’s spin attack. Razdi could not keep a Lama ball low to ground and offered a easy catch at gully to Chaugai. After eleven runs, Mohammad Zainal offered another catch at cover to Das off Lama. Nor I. Roslee showed some resistance and scored a quick 25 off 26 balls in which he hit two sixes, one each from Regmi and Das. But Regmi caught Roslee at mid wicket boundary as he tried to heave a Lama delivery out of ground.

Mohammad Zabri (6 runs) fell to Lama while Peter Chung was trapped by Das to shut the opponents out for 139 in 49.5 balls. When the hosts started its innings, they opened cautiously. Openers Chaugai and Yashwant Subedi partnered the 50-run stand. But with the introduction of spin attack in the third over by Malaysians, Subedi’s concentration deemed.

After surviving couple of appeals for leg before, Subedi finally was trapped by right arm spinner Vivasvan. Bardan Chalise added valuable 20 runs facing 58 balls and contributed in 59 run partnership with Chaugai before being leg before off the bowling of Peter Chung, the right arm spinner. Gauchan flopped today with the bat and returned to the pavilion when the score was 121 after being bowled by Peter for three.

But Basudev Thapa (06 runs) and Chaugai (70 runs in 110 balls with six fours) ensured that Nepal would not lose wickets further to record a emphatic 7-wicket victory in 40. overs.

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