Nepal’s bowlers offer chance of another upset Brian Murgatroyd February 18, 2006 New Zealand 204 (49.2 overs, T.Astle 66). Nepal's bowlers gave their side a great chance of upsetting another big name and taking home some silverware in the Plate Championship final on Saturday. The Associate side, who reached this stage by beating South Africa on Thursday, bowled out New Zealand for 204 in 49.2 overs at the P.Saravanamuttu Stadium. Nepal's spinners, so often their star performers in this tournament, were once again the players who excelled with Basant Regmi outstanding. The left-armer, who held his nerve at the end of that match against South Africa, recorded figures of 3-41, Sharad Vesawkar picked up 2-32 and Raj Shrestha took 1-30. But all the bowlers played their parts in restricting a batting line-up that scored 305 and 295 in their previous matches against Ireland and the United States of America respectively. Left-arm swing bowler Amrit Bhattarai took two early wickets, including the in-form Andrew de Boorder leg before wicket first ball, to finish with 2-25 and his opening bowling partner Paras Khadka picked up 1-20 in nine economical overs. The only one of Nepal's bowlers to go wicketless was off-spinner Ratan Rauniyar and he was still very tidy, delivering his 10 overs for just 44 runs. New Zealand were indebted to opener Todd Astle, one of their more consistent performers on the tour, for helping to ensure they reached a competitive total. Astle made a patient 66 from 86 balls in just over two hours at the crease in an innings that included nine fours. Three other batsmen, Kieran Noema-Barnett (26), Shaun Fitzgibbon (29) and Roneel Hira (26) were the only other batsmen to reach 20 and Fitzgibbon and Hira's contributions were especially important. When they joined forces New Zealand were 145-6 and in serious trouble but they added 47 before the innings subsided badly in the final four overs as the last four wickets fell for the addition of just 12 runs. It could have been even better for Nepal. They missed at least two catches in the deep with one of them Hira, who had just three when Vesawkar missed him on the midwicket boundary. There was a pleasant breeze blowing across the ground through the morning but it was still hot and humid and those conditions tested the players. Nepal wicketkeeper Mahesh Chhetri had to leave the field suffering from dehydration for six overs and Prem Chowdhury took over the keeping duties. Chhetri later returned and finished the innings with three stumpings. The winner of this match will be able to call themselves the ninth-ranked team in the tournament.