Seamers shine against MCC on Day I

KATHMANDU, March 27: CAN XI seamers Binod Das and Paras Khadka wreaked havoc on the touring Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on the first day of the three-day match at the TU Ground on Friday. Das and Khadka bagged three wickets each to restrict the visitors for 131 in 65.1 overs. In reply, CAN XI was 73 for 2 at the close of play.[break]



CAN won the toss and invited the tourists to bat first. MCC openers were tested by the guile of Das and Khadka from the very begining. But it was skipper Das who provided the breakthrough in the second over as Iain Fletcher was caught by Dipendra Chaudhary at first slip. No 3 Neil Jones was the victim Khadka when he edged to keeper Manoj Baishya.



Opener Matt Walker (16) showed some resistance as he hit three fours in his 35-ball knock. Khadka rattled his stumps.




Keith Newell, who was retired hurt at 21, returned in the 59th over with his team struggling at 123/9. He added eight more runs before Das uprooted his stumps.



Earlier, Keith Parsons(35) had tried to anchor the MCC innings but it was again Das who trapped him leg before. Captain Min Patel slammed a four and a six off Basanta Regmi in an over to complete his team´s hundred. But it was Regmi who had the last laugh as Patel was adjuded leg before to Regmi´s spin.



Regmi went on to add two more wickets to wipe out resistance from MCC´s tail. Nishel Patel (5) and Glen Read (3) were Regmi´s other scalps.



CAN XI ended the day with 73 on the board losing two wickets in 21 overs. Openers Paresh Lohani (14) and Dipendra Chaudhary (8) were both caught out by Neil Jones off Read.



Shakti Gauchan (18*) and Gyanendra Malla (30*) will resume CAN´s innings on Saturday.