Big guns made to sweat in Under-19 World Cup

KUALA LUMPUR: Title hopefuls South Africa, New Zealand and Sri Lanka overcame stuttering starts to win their opening matches in cricket’s Under-19 World Cup on Monday.

Bangladesh, however, had no such worries as they cruised to an impressive 17 -run victory over a hapless Bermuda. The South Africans collapsed to 179-7 by the 35th over, chasing the West Indies’ 222-8, before the eighth-wicket pair of Rilee Rossouw and Roy Adams put on a match-winning stand of 44. Rossouw returned unbeaten on 58 while Adams made 26 not out after West Indian captain Shamarh Brooks had rocked the middle order with 4-39 in a group B match at the Kinrara Oval here. The West Indian total revolved around half-centuries from opener Kieran Powell and Devon Thomas, who scored 53 apiece, and a brave 41 from Shacaya Thomas lower down the order. The South Africans return on Tuesday to face India knowing another victory will almost certainly assure them a place in the quarter-finals with a game in hand against minnows Papua New Guinea.

Sri Lanka were aided in large part by an impressive all-round display by Sachith Pathirana to overcome spirited Nepal by 61 runs in a group C match in Penang. Sri Lanka were reduced to 37-3 after electing to bat before captain Ashan Subasinghe led the recovery with a polished 46 and left-hander Pathirana chipped in with a 62 that included seven boundaries. Thisara Perera clubbed 41 off 27 balls to set up a challenging total of 236-9 which Nepal found too much on a wearing wicket. Nepal were dismissed for 175 in the penultimate over, their batsmen done in by the Sri Lankan spinners who shared seven wickets between them. Left-arm spinner Pathirana finished with 3-31, off-spinner Umesh Karunarathna took 2-40 and another left-armer Navin Kavikara claimed 2-22. New Zealand defeated Zimbabwe by 98 runs in a group A game in Johor after struggling early with the bat.

The Kiwis found themselves down to 39-3 before Corey Anderson rebuilt the innings with a superb 82. Greg Morgan was the next highest scorer with 27 in his team’s total of 221-8. Zimbabwe captain Prince Masvaure claimed 3-37 but he was overshadowed by Daniel Landman who took 2-41 and then played a lone hand of 51 in a poor reply of 123 all out. New Zealand’s opening bowler Tim Southee wrecked Zimbabwe with a brilliant 5-11. Bangladesh piled up 260-8 after being sent in to bat and then shot out Bermuda for 82 in 26.1 overs at the Bayuemas Oval in the Malaysian capital. Nasir Hossain was Bangladesh’s batting star with 84 while wicket-keeper Ashiqul Islam hammered a run-a-ball 69 lower down the order. Bangladesh captain Sohrawadi Shuvo destroyed Bermuda with three wickets for nine runs in seven overs off accurate left-arm spin bowling. Off-spinner Mahmudul Hasan claimed 3-12. Bermuda skipper Rodney Trott top-scored for his side with 20 as nine batsmen failed to reach double figures in a one-sided match.

Top-seeded Pakistan are the only team to have won back-to-back titles at this level, having triumphed in 2004 and 2006. The 2000 winners India, ares seeded second, with Australia – winner in the inaugural event in 1988 and also in 2002 – seeded third. England, who won the 1999 edition, are seeded fourth. afp