India rout Canada in
U-19 World Cup

Defending champions India opened their campain in the Under-19 cricket World Cup with a thumping 242-run victory against Canada in Christchurch on Monday.

Powered by a brilliant 128 by Maninder Bisla, the Indians scored 356 for five in their 50 overs and then bowled out Canada for 114 in 40.2 overs to register a resounding win in a Group A contest.

Parthiv Patel (74) and Paul Valthaty (50) were the other useful scorers for the Indian team while N Richards emerged the most successful bowler for Canada with figures of three for 70.

For India, A Sharma and S Trivedi claimed three wickets each conceding 13 and 28 runs respectively.

In a Group C match, a five-wicket haul by off-spinner Paul McMahon saved England from potential embarrassment against Nepal. England won by 37 runs but were made to work hard for their victory by a spirited Nepal side that restricted their opponents to just 204 for six from 50 overs.

The total was to prove adequate enough though as Nepal were dismissed for 167.

Man of the match McMahon finished with five wickets for 25, but it was a far from convincing performance by England, who struggled to combat the slow pace of the pitch.

Hosts New Zealand, whose opening game against Sri Lanka was washed out, dismissed Zimbabwe for just 71 with pace bowler Michael Bates taking four for 26. However, New Zealand lost four wickets on their way to victory with opener Jesse Ryder top scoring on 41.

The West Indies crushed Scotland by 301 runs in a Group D encounter.

Mail Cricket Editor