SCOTLAND FALL TO DEFEAT AGAINST NEPAL
Scotland were unable to build on Friday’s thumping victory over the USA as they slipped to a five-wicket defeat at the hands of Nepal in Dallas.
Put into bat by their opponents, seven Scotland batters reached double figures, with six of them getting out between 14 and 19 as they could only post 154.
In reply, Nepal threatened a brief wobble when they slipped to 63-4, but a superb, unbeaten half-century from Aarif Sheikh ensured his side would get across the line, reaching their target inside 30 overs.
That is now three wins from three for the chasing side in this series so far, with the USA’s victory over Nepal on Sunday meaning each side now has one win under their belt.
Inserting Scotland, Nepal got off to a dream start with the ball, Karan KC getting one to nip back and bowl Charlie Tear between bat and pad in the first over.
Sompal Kami would bowl an equally terrific delivery to remove Andy Umeed’s off stump, and when Sandeep Lamichhane trapped Brandon McMullen (16) LBW, Scotland had slid to 34-3 inside 12 overs.
Michael Jones and Richie Berrington added 36 for the fourth wicket, with Jones looking the more free-flowing, but he fell for 19 as he looked to strike Aarif Sheikh down the ground, caught by a back-peddling Rohit Paudel.
Scotland suffered a further blow when Berrington (19) departed in the following over, caught superbly by Aarif Sheikh at backward point off the bowling of Gulshan Jha.
From then on, Scotland struggled to build any partnerships of note, Michael Leask (14) and Matthew Cross (15), who passed the 2000 run mark in ODIs, both making starts before losing their wicket.
And when Jack Jarvis (0) was removed by Jha, the Scots had been reduced to 114-8 with 13 overs remaining.
Mark Watt looked to counter-attack, launching Lamichhane handsomely over long on for six, but he would lose Brad Wheal, edging Lamichanne to Sheikh at slip.
Watt struck Kami for two sixes in the space of three balls as he took his side past 150, but fell the following ball to a well-directed yorker from the Nepal quick, finishing with an innings-best 34 out of Scotland’s 154.
In reply, Anil Kumar set about chasing the target down in a hurry, hoisting the third delivery of the innings from Brad Currie high over long on for six.
However, Kumar (13) fell to McMullen, trapped on the back-pad as Nepal’s opening stand was broken at 32.
Kushal Malla (7) wouldn’t last long, falling LBW to Currie as Scotland’s opening pair began causing problems for their opponent’s top order once again.
Aasif Sheikh and Paudel negotiated their way to 60 before both fell in quick succession, Sheikh (21) chopping on to Watt, before Paudel (1) edged McMullen to Watt low down at slip.
Bhurtel and Aarif Sheikh combined to add a vital 37 for the fifth wicket, wrestling back control of the game, with Sheikh beginning to find the boundary with regularity.
Bhurtel, who survived a huge LBW appeal in Jarvis’ opening over, fell in the young seamer’s second, trapped in front for 25 to leave Nepal 100-5.
Aarif Sheikh and Jha would ensure there would be no Nepal wobble, playing positively as they closed in on the target.
Jha thumped Watt down the ground for six, but it would be left to Aarif Sheikh to hit the winning runs, reaching his 50 in the process as he clubbed McMullen over mid-wicket for four.