For the third straight day, the Malaysian weather played a significant hand in the outcome of a game in the ACC U-16 Trophy Challenge. In the final game of Group A at Penang Sports Club, Bhutan clinched a coveted semi-final spot after play was called off soon after the start of the Bhutanese run-chase, before even Duckworth/Lewis could come into play. Bhutan progress with a better net run-rate compared to Maldives.

Bhutan's Sagar Pradhan (2-20) gets into his stride

Maldives had been bowled out for 87 in the 27th over, thanks to some good work by the Bhutanese pacemen.“Most of the tail-enders are new to playing with the hard ball and so they can’t read it well enough. We did well to get to 87 and I told the boys to just bowl straight and minimise the extras. We should be able to win it then,” said Maldives Coach K. P. De Silva.

Bhutan’s gameplan was to play out as many overs as they could – and were moving smoothly at 25 for none when two wickets fell in five balls with Bhutan going in for lunch at 32 for 2 after 11 overs. During the interval, Bhutan’s coach, the legendary Baba Sourjah was speaking about his team’s lack of match-experience. “They’ve hardly played any games and the Maldives bowlers are floating the ball high. What we need to do now is move our feet, play straight and stay in the middle as long as we can to win this.” That’s why the ICC regions hold regular tournaments, to give cricketers in countries where cricket is not part of the regular sporting curriculum, opportunities to play as much competitive cricket as possible.

The rain came down hard just two overs after lunch and never let up after that. The score at that time was 38 for 2 after 13 overs . With the playing conditions stating that a minimum of 16 overs are needed to be completed in a game for it to be declared a match – the game was three overs short of being declared eligible for a result. Bhutan now progress to the semi-finals on July 17th and face the team that tops Group B.

Bhutan v Maldives at Penang Sports Club
MATCH ABANDONED - NO RESULT
Bhutan won the toss and elected to field
Maldives: 87 all out off 26.4 overs (Y. Saru 3-26)
Bhutan: 38 for 2 after 13 overs
Scorecard

Tournament Page

Filed July 15th, 2010