MCC build huge lead over Nepal

Kathmandu, November 7

The Marylebone Cricket Club built a huge 302-run lead after the second day of the three-day match against Nepal national team here at the Tribhuvan University Stadium today.

The MCC were 91-2 at close in their second innings after bowling out the home side for a paltry 153 runs in 44.4 overs. Earlier, the MCC, who resumed the second day at 311-6, were all out for 364 runs in their first innings.

Sandeep Lamichhane bats against Marylebone Cricket Club on the second day of a three day cricket match at TU Stadium, Kirtipur in Kathmandu on Thursday. Photo: THT

Yasir Arafat became the fourth MCC batsman to score a half century in the first innings. Arafat, who resumed on 35, added 30 runs before he ran out of partners finishing on 98-ball 65 not out that included 10 fours and a six. Alex Thomson (30) added eight runs to his overnight score before Karan KC struck twice in the same over.

KC trapped Thomson leg before the wicket in the third ball of the 33rd over and had Alexander Spencer (naught) caught behind by Raju Rijal two balls later to reduce the MCC to 324-8. Chris Wright (four) fell cheaply, trapped leg before by Sandeep Lamichhane, before Arafat and Oliver Hannon-Dalby (10) added 21 runs for the 10th wicket. Karan KC (3-67) and Sandeep Lamichhane (3-84) shared six wickets between them, while Sharad Vesawkar and Sompal Kami grabbed two wickets each.

In reply, the home team batsmen collapsed in front of the MCC attack. Star leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane was the top scorer with a quick fire 21-ball 39 not out that included two boundaries and four sixes. In an entertaining knock, Lamichhane struck Alex Thompson for three consecutive sixes. Nepal made a disastrous start in their first innings with opener and skipper Gyanendra Malla handing a catch to Billy Godleman off Arafat in the fourth ball of the innings, while Sharad Vesawkar (four) fell cheaply along with Raju Rijal (eight), vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee (one) and Aarif Sheikh (10).

Binod Bhandari and Sompal Kami tried to revive the innings with 72-run partnership for the fifth wicket before Nepal lost four wickets in the space of six runs. Bhandari scored 36 off 51 balls with the help of five fours, while Kami struck four boundaries in his 61-ball 26. After Pawan Sarraf (two) and Karan KC (two) fell cheaply, Lamichhane and Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi added 42 runs for the final wicket. Rajbanshi, who survived 21 balls without scoring, finally fell in the last ball of the 45th over when he was trapped leg before by Oliver Hannon-Dalby.

MCC, who did not enforce follow-on despite having a 211-run first innings lead, extended the lead to 302 runs at close. Openers Will Rhodes and Billy Godleman put up 54 runs in 11 overs before Pawan Sarraf made the breakthrough. Sarraf had Rhodes caught by Karan KC for 30 off 39 balls that included four boundaries and a six. Godleman struck three fours in his 47-ball 39 before being trapped leg before by Rajbanshi. Skipper Tom Westley (17) and Hammond (three) were at the crease when the play was called off for the day.

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