Cup retained (from Cricket Canada’s Facebook feed)
Canada took a 2-0 lead in the three match series against the USA to retain the Auty Cup. The margin of victory was just 17 runs in a well contested match. Canada were bowled out for a modest total of 216, as nine of the first ten bats reached double figures with the top score 43 from Nikhil Dutta.
Kumar used nine bowlers in all when the USA batted, with Pervez (3/42) and Dhindsa (4/37) the pick.
CricInfo report
The US won the toss again, and put Canada into bat. Salman Nazar came into the Canadian team with Shehan Kamileen left out. After a decent opening partnership of 34, Adhihetty (14) tried to hit Hutchinson across the line, and was caught at mid on. Wijeratne (18) followed, caught behind down the leg side, again to Hutchinson. Kumar made a quick 32 (27 balls, 5 boundaries) before being caught, and after 15 overs Canada was 74/3. Varun Sedev (26) put on 52 with Dutta before being caught behind, and Salman Nazar hit a full toss to mid wicket – 130/5. Nikhil Dutta, asked to bat at number 4, justified his elevation with 43 before playing on. Hamza Tariq (26) took advantage of being dropped twice in an over by putting together a useful partnership of 33 with Junaid Siddiqui (18). Siddiqui and Dhindsa fell on consecutive balls to Patel, but some powerful hitting from Dilon Heydiger (31 in 17 balls with three sixes) took the score past 200.
Pervez and Dhindsa had the US in trouble right away with wickets in the first, second and fourth over – 10/3. Kumar took two catches, the first easy and the second exceptional. Babar and Dodson stopped the rot and took the score past 100 after 24 overs, both reaching half-centuries. Their partnership extended to 128 before Junaid Siddiqui bowled Babar for 62, and then Dutta had Stanford leg before for a duck to leave US 138/5 needing 78 from 13.3 overs. Some tight bowling raised the pressure and Pervez made the vital breakthrough bowling Dodson for 73. Dhindsa had Patel caught behind in the next over – 155/7. A wicket each for Pervez and Dhindsa had USA nine down, but then Hutchinson (37*) started hitting keeping the match very much alive. He took the US to within 17 before Salman Nazar bowled Nair to seal the win.
CricHq scorecard