Vanuatu Win ICC World Cricket League Division 8

Vanuatu Win ICC World Cricket League Division 8

Vanuatu celebrate their tournament victory

©International Cricket Council

Samoa won the toss and sent Norway into bat in the 5th/6th ranking match.

Tiafala Alatasi and Ian West were on target early for the hosts claiming two wickets each to put their side in a commanding position with Norway 48-5.

However a remarkable 146 run partnership between Ali Saleem (89) and Tafseer Ali (79) swung the momentum back strongly in Norway’s favour and they went on to post the tournament’s highest total of 271-7.

In reply it was an innings to forget for the host nation as they struggled to all out for 137 thanks to another sound performance from Norway whose late tournament form will leave them lamenting their group matches.

Norway shared the wickets around in a great team performance with the pick of the bowlers being Tafseer Ali who took 5-30.

“It’s a shame we couldn’t start the tournament the way we finished,” said Norway captain Muhammad Shahbaz Butt. “I think we just needed a few more practice games prior to the event.”

Suriname continued their good late tournament form in the 7th/8th ranking match against Bhutan reaching 139-4 before a rain delay forced them from the ground.

Vishual Singh and Shazam Ramjohn were the key to Suriname’s solid start with a 66 run partnership.

When play resumed after the rain delay a half century from Troy Dudnath helped his side surpass 200 before being bowled out for 206 in the 49th over.

For Bhutan Lobzang Yonten and Jigme Singye took three wickets each.

In reply as has become habit for Bhutan their top order collapsed to see them struggling at 40-5. Carlton Baker the destroyer for Suriname taking four for 34.

However in one of the gutsiest performances of the event Bhutan rallied thanks to a 114 run partnership between Suprit Pradhan and Sonam Togbay and an upset looked on the cards.

However in the closest finish of the tournament Suriname hung on by three runs taking the last wicket with five balls to spare.

“Yeah it was a lot closer than we wanted towards the end of the match however we have a lot of young players in our side so there is still improvement to be had,” said Suriname half century maker Didnath.

At the conclusion of the last match young Vanuatu all-rounder Nalin Nipiko who yesterday celebrated just his 17th birthday was announced as the Player of the Tournament.

Nipiko finished the tournament with 213 runs at an average of 53.25 and took seven wickets at an average of 20.42.

Final rankings of the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 8 are as follows:

1st – Vanuatu
2nd – Ghana
3rd – Japan
4th – Belgium
5th – Norway
6th – Samoa
7th – Suriname
8th – Bhutan

Player of the tournament: Nalin Nipiko (Vanuatu)

Scores in Brief

Final
At Garden Ovals 1
Vanuatu 222-9, 50 overs (J Dunn 78, N Nipiko 59; I Aboagye 4-39)
Ghana 183 all out, 42.5 overs (O Harvey 33, I Aboagye 31; S Obed 3-17, P Matautaava 3-27)
Vanuatu won by 39 runs
Man of the Match: Jonathon Dunn (Vanuatu)

3rd/4th Ranking match
At Garden Ovals 2
Japan 180 all out, 47.5 overs (A Patmore 101; F Khaliq 5-20, A Rehman 3-32)
Belgium 170 all out, 47.2 overs (S Mehta 27no, S Muhammad 24; M Taniyama 5-55)
Japan won by 10 runs
Man of the Match:  Alex Patmore (Japan)

5th/6th Ranking match
At Garden Ovals 3
Norway 271-7, 50 overs (A Saleem 89, T Ali 79; T Alatasi 3-51, I West 2-44)
Samoa 137 all out, 38.0 overs (B Mailata 30; T Ali 5-30, M Butt 2-16)
Norway won by 134 runs
Man of the Match: Tafseer Ali (Norway)

7th/8th Ranking match
At Garden Ovals 4
Suriname 206 all out, 48.2 overs (T Dudnath 54, S Ramjohn 43; L Yonten 3-27, J Singye 3-35)
Bhutan 203 all out, 49.1 overs (S Pradhan 82, S Tobgay 42; C Baker 4-34, S Ramjohn 3-48)
Suriname won by 3 runs
Man of the Match: Shazam Ramjohn (Suriname)