On a morning where the temperature was in the 50's, the USA team won the toss against Bahrain and decided to bat. The rhododendrons might not yet be blooming in Nepal but an early springtime had come for the USA batting in their previous game, and they hoped to continue the momentum. Carl Wright and Orlando Baker opened the inning, and like most of the USA batsmen were helmet-less, making a statement about the lack of respect for Bahrain's bowlers which challenged the bowling attack, however, that bowling attack which came up wanting.
Wright off drove beautifully, and flicked over mid-on for 4s. Baker hooked over square leg and on-drove for boundaries too. The bowling was often over-pitched or short and Wright and Baker punished it to bring up 52 off nine overs.
Qamar Sayeed and Adil Sayeed slowed the scoring rate before Wright skied a full one to point and got caught; USA 64/1 off 13.1 overs. Captain Steve Massiah strolled to the wicket to pick up where he left off in the Fiji game (72). However he soon lost Baker for 34, caught and bowled and USA was 100 for 2 off 25 overs.
The in-form and dynamic Lennox Cush resumed the USA onslaught with a few of his favorite things - glorious shots all around the wicket! A cut for four, then a straight drive over the bowler's head brought up his 50 in 44 balls, with 4 fours and 2 sixes. The USA 150 came up for the loss of 2 wickets in 31 overs.
Bob's Seger's "Kathmandu" probably ringing in his ears, Massiah played the solid captain's innings whilst the mountains were ablaze with the sound of music from Cush's willow.
USA took the power-play at the 41st over, and the 200 came up; USA 202/2 off 42 overs. Shortly after though Cush went for a big hit off a well-flighted one from Zaheer and was bowled for a brilliant 91. He and Massiah had put on 140 for the partnership. Massiah's own responsible 50 came up in 84 balls. Most importantly for Bahrain was the fact that they contained the USA batsmen in the power-play and USA was 223/3 after 45 overs when they had looked set to post another score over 300.
Hitting out Massiah off-drove for six then was caught at mid-wicket for 67. USA finished with 273 for 6 off 50 overs. Considering Bahrain only made 98 against Singapore the day before this total looked like Mt. Everest to Bahrain's batsmen. But it wasn't over 'til Julie Andrews sang.
Shahzad Ahmed and Imran Sajjad opened for Bahrain whilst Kevin Darlington and Timroy Allen did the bowling honors for USA. Sajjad immediately took matters into his own hands by cracking the bowlers to the boundaries. Imran Awan was brought on and received the same treatment. Bahrain's 50 came with a six over long-on in the 8th over. Awan then got Ahmed out lbw and Bahrain was 55/1.
Sajjid continued his onslaught and Bahrain's 100 came in the 18th over for the loss of one wicket. Cush soon put his stamp on the Man-of-the-Match award by ending Sajjid's Himalayan effort, bowled for 75 off 77 balls, 8 fours and 2 sixes. A dropped catch gave had given Majeed a reprieve, before Massiah took a brilliant catch off Baker to dismiss the dangerous-looking Majeed for 47. Bahrain was 162/4 off 33.1 overs. Still Bahrain was in a good position to get the USA total of 273.
Adil Haniff, 46 (4x4s), continued Bahrain's effort until a number of astute bowling changes by Massiah, aided perhaps by hasty strokes by Bahrain's lower order ended Bahrain's fighting effort at 254 off 48.4 overs, giving USA the victory by 19 runs. Four USA bowlers, Allen, Cush, Baker and Darlington took two wickets each, though Darlington had a Gucci quality, being expensive.
