Game One South Africa 115/7 v 114/7 Nepal - South Africa WIN
Taking four wickets for only 19 runs in a T20 is good bowling. Doing so when the opposition is South Africa is outstanding work and Kushal Bhurtel can feel well pleased with an excellent spell which was key in keeping South Africa's total low enough to be chaseable.
Reeza Hendricks atoned for his Golden Duck against Bangladesh by being top scorer for the Proteas with 43 runs. No one else really got going, though Stubbs 27 off 18 indicates it was possible.
Against Bangladesh South Africa defended 113. Could they do the same with this similar total?
Until the eleventh over it looked as if they may just smother Nepal out of the match but a three over spell which brought 34 runs moved Nepal above the run rate and put them in control of things. A wicket lost in the 14th over didn't seem to derail and even 3 wickets in the nest two overs couldn't prevent Nepal going into the final over needing 8 runs.
Two scoreless balls took the equation up to 8 runs from 4 balls but 6 of those came from the next two. A dot ball meant a double from the last ball for a famous Nepal victory, but even a single would take it to a super over.
Instead, in a desperate attempt to run a bye, Nepal have Gulshan Jha run out and for a second game in a row South Africa have defended the most meagre of totals.
Game Two Uganda 40 all out v 41/1 New Zealand - New Zealand WIN
New Zealand shared the wickets around all their bowlers as they skittled Uganda for a fourth innings below 100 runs in the competition. Of the four ducks Uganda suffered three of them were off the first ball. Only Kenneth Waiswa got to double figures.
It was the kind of competent ruthlesness the Silver Ferns needed to have shown in their previous matches.
Knocking the runs off was never going to be an issue and Devon Conway's 22 was more than half of those required. The chase was over in 5.2 over, and the whole match was only 24 overs long.
Game Three India 0/0 v 0/0 Canada - Match Abandoned
As forecast yesterday the weather washed out a second consecutive match in Florida.
Even grounds as well constructed as this one struggle to cope with the sheer quantity of rain that has fallen in the Sunshine State. There may have been the possibility of a shortened match between today's showers but the outfield never managed to dry out enough to allow it.
Game Four England/ v / Nepal - ** WIN**
The tears of Scottish football fans were not quite sufficient to induce sufficient rain in Antigua, but the match was delayed and initially reduced to 11 overs per side, with that dropping down to 10 when another shower took 10 more minutes away.
Still, two wickets down in three overs and, if the weather couldn't help the Scots, maybe Namibia would.
Unfortunately, while another 3 wickets did fall, England amassed 122 runs which is more than a number of sides have achieved with the full 20 overs in this tournament.
Because of the mid-innings rain delay a Duckworth-Lewis-Stern, or DLS, adjustment was made and Namibia required 126 runs from their 10 overs.
Namibia batted well, but were unable to put pressure on an England attack what was willing to give up 1's and 2's and place the field to protect the boundaries
In an attempt to move things on Niko Davin surrendered his innings to allow David Wiese's power a chance. it seemed to pay dividends when he pummeled Adil Rashid for two 6's and a 4 in a eighth over which went for 20.
In the ninth over Chris Jordan conceded only 9 runs, and took Van Lingen's wicket. The strangle which began in the third over was all but complete. Joffra Archer bowled a tight final over where Wiese was out for 27 from 11, and only 4 runs were scored.
England finally moved into a position where they should qualify for the Super Eights, assuming Australia or the weather don't decide to play silly beggars or Scotland's cricketers don't do to Australia what their footballers could not do to Germany.
| Game | 4's | 6's | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa v Nepal | 19 | 6 | 25 |
| Uganda v New Zealand | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| India v Canada | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| England v Namibia | 13 | 14 | 27 |
| Tournament | 523 | 262 | 785 |
Only two Super Eight teams remain to be decided. One will be done with Australia's game against Scotland.
In the other game in my time zone tomorrow Pakistan and Ireland play for honor and the love of the game, assuming Florida remains dry like it's meant to.
Check back tomorrow for reviews & updated boundary totals.
text by stuartcturnbull. graphic by Mir Rammez Raja & edited by stuartcturnbull via postermywall