Cricket: Anish the hero in S'pore victory

Despite missing out on their dream of promotion to Division Two, Singapore salvaged some credit by finishing third in the six-team table.

The two top teams, Nepal and Uganda, won promotion after progressing to the Division Three final in Kuala Lumpur.

At Kinrara yesterday, Singapore defeated the United States by 32 runs by the Duckworth-Lewis Method after the US fell 33 runs short of their revised target of 200 in a reduced-overs match.

The Republic recorded 225 for seven with Anish Paraam (72), Chaminda Ruwan (48) and Arjun Mutreja (44) the main contributors with the bat.

Rain interrupted play with the US well-poised at 101 for two in 23.2 overs, and when play resumed, the US had been set a revised target of 200 in 42 overs.

When Steve Taylor (56) was dismissed in the 27th over, the US began to lose wickets regularly and were eventually dismissed for 167 in 39.4 overs.

With the defeat, the US finished fifth, and with bottom team Bermuda, will be relegated to Division Four.

Singapore skipper Saad Janjua was thrilled with the result: "I am very happy with the team's performance today, it was good.

"I was expecting two or three players to perform well and today was the right day, and they delivered."

Singapore play Malaysia at Bayeumas in the third-place play-off today.

On the last day of group matches yesterday, Nepal defeated Malaysia by 36 runs by the D-L Method, and Uganda beat Bermuda by seven wickets to finish first and second, respectively.

This means that, irrespective of the outcome of the final at the Kinrara Oval today, Nepal and Uganda have secured berths in Division Two, which will be played in Namibia from Jan 17 to 24.

BRIEF SCORES
AT KINRARA:
Singapore 225-7 in 50 overs (Anish Paraam 72, Chaminda Ruwan 48, Arjun Mutreja 44, Saad Janjua 22; Elmore Hutchinson 2-26, Danial Ahmed 2-31).
US 167 in 39.4 overs/42 overs - D-L Method chasing a revised target of 200 - (Steve Taylor 56, Fahad Babar 44; Vijay Kumar 4-43, Abhiraj Singh 2-28, Amjad Mahboob 2-37). Singapore won by 32 runs (D-L method).
Player of the Match: Anish Paraam.

AT BAYEUMAS:
Bermuda 140 in 39.5 overs (Kamau Leverock 27; Frank Nsubuga 3-26, Henry Ssenyondo 3-40, Davis Arinaitwe 3-42).
Uganda 142-3 in 24.5 overs (Roger Mukasa 86; Dion Stovell 2-30). Uganda won by 7 wkts.
Player of the Match: Roger Mukasa.

AT SELANGOR TURF CLUB:
Malaysia 142 in 43.3 overs (Anwar Arudin 69, Khizar Hayat 23, Derek Duraisingam 23; Paras Khadka 4-20, Bhuban Karki 3-34, Shakti Gauchan 2-9).
Nepal 89-2 (match stopped) in 25 overs - D-L Method chasing a revised target of 143 - (Naresh Budhaayer 42 not out, Gyanendra Malla 35). Nepal won by 36 runs (D-L Method).
Player of the Match: Paras Khadka. 

godfrey@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Oct 30, 2014.
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