Nepal fail to impress with a lack of experience in longer format on display
Prarambha Dahal
Marylebone Cricket Club found themselves in pole position at the end of the play on the first day of the three-day match, recognised with a first-class status. The visiting side, after being put to bat, finished at 311-6 in 86 overs on Wednesday before the umpires called it a day due to bad light with nine overs to spare.
“It was a day with mixed reactions for us. One thing we learnt is that our team still lacks the steel for the longer format of the game,” said Nepal skipper Gyanendra Malla, who is playing his maiden first-class and leading the team as the captain also for the first time in a first-class match. “Our players appeared confused early on with the conditions of the first-class cricket that are different from limited overs. However, we gradually adapted to it. It was good enough for the first time for many of us.”
On Nepali bowlers’ poor performance with the red ball, Malla said, “Open field obviously means more spaces for the opponent to find boundaries. We failed to put them under pressure as the runs we leaked speak for it. It is a learning process for all of us.”
Will Rhodes (73) yet again was the chief architect in MCC’s innings as he top-scored for the ‘home of cricket’ club. Rhodes has been among the runs in the MCC’s Nepal Legacy tour as he previously scored 54 and 93 in the 50-over matches against Nepal’s men’s senior team and Under 19 squad. Shining alongside Rhodes were Miles Hammond (52) and Will Vandespar (53) with a half-century each.
Sompal Kami picked his maiden first-class wicket when Billy Godleman (10) was caught in the second attempt by Lalit Rajbanshi. Opener Rhodes was then joined by Tom Westley, the pair adding 95 runs for the second wicket before the opening batsman fell prey to the pace of Kami in the 34th over when MCC had 120 runs on the board. He was previously dropped by Binod Bhandari in the ninth over.
Sharad Vesawker joined the party as he trapped Westley (39) leg-before. Soon MCC lost three wickets in quick succession while adding 64 runs. Miles Hammond had scored 52, including eight fours and a six, before being bowled by Vesawker.
There was a loud appeal from Nepal’s spin star Sandeep Lamichhane for Vanderspar (53) leg-before wicket and the umpire took no time to raise his finger. Ed Young was the last wicket to fall after tea as he found Malla at first slip off Lamichhane in the last ball of the 71st over.
Yasir Arafat (35) and Alex Thompson (22) remained firm at the crease with MCC appearing comfortable at 311-6 before the umpires invited the captains to discuss the visibility and light conditions. They then decided to take the bails off for the day.
On Nepal’s approach for the second day, Malla said, “We will try and bowl them out early in the morning and hopefully restrict them around 350. It will then come to our batting, we have to put up a good show to take the team in a strong position.”
Nepal had last played a first-class match against the United Arab Emirates back in 2005. In the four first-class matches played so far, Nepal have won two (against Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates) and drawn two (against the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong).
