Hong Kong powered to a ten wicket win against Nepal to seal a place in the SuperSixes of the ICC World Cup Qualifier on Sunday at the Mainpower Oval, Rangiora. Hong Kong is in interstellar space with six points from three wins compared with last-placed Canada with no points from two games and the worst net run rate, to date, in the two qualifying groups. Uganda at the foot of Group B has a better net run rate than Canada despite three losses from three games.
Canada plays Nepal, who have lost three games, on Tuesday (January 21) at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch, New Zealand on Tuesday in a “must win” game if a place for Canada is to be salvaged in the SuperSixes. Even a win brings no guarantee of a spot in those SuperSixes. The lights go out for Canada’s men’s team with a loss or a tie against Nepal.
Any win against Nepal would, realistically, need to be by a solid margin to bring hope of a last round win against Scotland, conquerors of the UAE in a rain-reduced game on Sunday, possibly salvaging a SuperSixes berth for Canada. A UAE win or tie against Hong Kong in Group A’s closing round of matches would guarantee UAE a place in the SuperSixes. But there is no guarantee that two wins by Canada would move the Maple Leaf up the Group A standings into third place.
On Sunday at the Queenstown Events Centre, Scotland’s openers hit 178 runs in 17.3 overs to drive the team to 265 for six in the rain reduced maximum of 28 overs. Calum MacLeod thumped 113 and Matty Cross 88. The UAE replied with 212 all out from 26.5 overs. UAE skipper Khurram Khan made 87, Shaiman Anwar 36 and Swapnil Patel 41, so the UAE batting is likely to remain functional and determined in the closing group match with Hong Kong.
Nepal had a bad start against Hong Kong losing four wickets for 17 runs by the end of the sixth over. Haseeb Amjad took three wickets for 13 in his first three overs but his final figures of four for 40 reflect a bit of a recovery by Nepal. Skipper Paras Khadka made 29 out of 65 for eight. Basant Regmi battled away to score 45, adding 57 runs for the ninth wicket with Sompal Kami (26) and most of the 28 runs in a last wicket stand. Nepal was all out for 150 with three balls of the 50 over limit remaining. Hong Kong opening bat Irfan Ahmed had to settle for 86 not out in this game, following his century against Canada. Waqas Barkat had reached 56 not out when Hong Kong reached a winning 154 for no wicket after 33.2 overs.
Irfan Ahmed also scored a century against Canada in the November 2013 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier in the UAE.
I took a brief look at the Toronto and District Cricket Association’s website to see how some of the Nepal players performed with the Ontario Cricket Academy and Club in 2013. The old search approach has changed as the website is transforming, so I temporarily gave up on such research in the early hours of Sunday in Toronto.
It is better to draw attention to the notice on the TDCA website from enthusiasts from The Canadian College Cricket Association who are organizing an indoor universities and colleges championship on February 1, 2014 at the GTA Sportsplex Toronto in Vaughn, Ontario.
Elsewhere, Cricket New Brunswick’s Third Annual Snow Cricket tournament is set for Fredericton on February 8, 2014. Participating teams, and even individual players for the snow cricket, are being sought for both events, based on the TDCA and Cricket New Brunswick website postings.
Meanwhile Canada will hopefully rise to the challenges of beating both Nepal and Scotland in New Zealand this week. The Canadian phoenix rose up the 2011-2013 ICC Intercontinental Cup standings with a last round maximum points win. But some additional variables not controlled by the Canadian players are in the mix in Group A of this ICC World Cup Qualifier.
Eddie Norfolk