Canada 255/9 (41 ov) beat Nepal 243/8 (41 ov) by 12 runs
The ICC’s media department had written off Canada’s prospects of a SuperSixes place after being thumped by Hong Kong but the Canadian players came to life with a 12 run win after a rain delay in Christchurch, New Zealand. Nitish Kumar provided youthful spark with 67 runs that set Canada en route to a useful 255 for nine in a game reduced to 41 overs per side. Raza-ur Rehman hit 89 and Khurram Chohan picked up four wickets.
Canada now sits in fourth place in Group A but will need a big win against Scotland on Thursday in order to progress to the SuperSixes. Scotland has four points from two wins and a net run rate of +0.984 while Canada has two points and a net run rate of -1.552. Canada would need to carry forward the confidence booster from Tuesday’s win against Nepal, hopefully post an even better total and skittle the Scots. It would have been useful if Nepal had folded as Uganda did against Namibia in Tuesday’s Group B game, but Nepal battled to the end. Uganda stumbled to 61 all out after 17.5 overs, in reply to Namibia’s 36-over total of 161 for nine wickets.

Canadian opening bats Nitish Kumar and Ruvindu Gunasekera put 41 runs on the board at a faster pace than in the previous game against Hong Kong before Gunasekera was bowled for 13. Trevin Bastiampillai was caught for just one run and a bright start by captain Jimmy Hansra ended when he was caught for 11 to leave Canada on 54 for three in the ninth over. Kumar and Raza-ur Rehman steadied the ship then began to thrive adding 84 runs before Kumar was caught for 67 during the 25th over. Nitish Kumar’s 67 was made from 59 balls and included two sixes in the early overs plus five other boundaries.

Raza-ur Rehman went on to make a valuable 89 runs from 87 balls, including nine boundaries. He was run out at the start of the 35th over to end a useful stand of 43 with Hamza Tariq. Tariq’s innings also ended due to a run out after he had garnered 34 runs from 36 balls and Canada’s total was 234 for seven with 2.3 overs remaining of a maximum 41 overs.

Khurram Chohan had Sagar Pan caught at the wicket for a duck in the opening over. Chohan returned in the later going to end number three bat Ghayanendra Malla’s determined innings of 86, also caught at the wicket by Hamza Tariq. Malla’s departure left Nepal on 170 for five with 10.1 overs remaining in the Nepalese hunt for 256 runs. Malla had combined with opener Pradeep Airee in carrying Nepal from one wicket down for no runs to two down with 83 runs on the board after 14.1 overs.

One hoped the loss of Bhandari (193/6) to Jeremy Gordon soon followed by Vesawkar (196/7). being caught off Chohan to start the 37th over might have seen the innings end quickly. But the Nepal batsmen hit runs late in an over after some dot balls and kept things ticking along, although slightly off the required pace. A six in the 40th over from Regmi was countered by a dot ball leaving Nepal in need of 27 runs from the final over, the 41st. A couple of boundaries was not enough for Nepal, leaving Canada with a win by 12 runs. Khurram Chohan ended with an important four wickets for 59 runs.

So Canada has moved into the Himalayan foothills and has the chance with a big win against Scotland to continue the mountain climbing persuits into higher peaks where reaching K2 or Everest would reflect a major recovery Can Canada reach one of those two ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 places that is supposed to be the aim of being in this Qualifier?

If Canada did manage to overhaul Scotland on net run rate then winning three games against the SuperSix qualifiers from Group B would appear an easier task on paper. And if things go really well Canada reaches the final of this Qualifier and pulls off a win against Hong Kong or the UAE. Possibly by one run or with one ball to spare.

Time for bed. If live hopes conclude Canada has at least a chance of reaching the SuperSixes by the team’s own efforts (possibly with some help from the Scots in batting or bowling below par) and then qualify for the 2015 World Cup could dreams bring Canada pounding the Aussies or India in the next World Cup Final? Somebody could put the scoring details on CricHQ as a guide to the future!

But a strong performance by Canada against Scotland with clear thinking and solid performing is the immediate need. Various other things need doing off the field to assist cricket’s development across Canada, but that can wait for another day. There’s no place to hide on the cricket field in modern international cricket. Although there could be if such games were played on some of the more undulating grounds in the Greater Toronto Area.
　
Eddie Norfolk
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