KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (CMC) — Former West Indies fast bowler Jermaine Lawson marked his debut for the United States by helping to demolish Bermuda on the opening day of the six-nation Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division Three 50- over tournament in Malaysia yesterday.
The Jamaican claimed three for 30 from 5.5 overs as Bermuda were routed for 106 inside 27 overs before the US romped to a six-wicket victory in just 21.5 overs at Bayuemas Oval.
Having qualified to play for the US based on the ICC's four-year residency requirement, Lawson, 32, who played 13 Tests before moving to America in 2010, struck with his first ball, removing opener Terryn Fray.
Lawson was joined in the demolition of the top and middle order by fellow seamer Usman Shuja, who snapped up three for 12, after the US won the toss and elected to field.
Allan Douglas Jr, who top-scored with 36, was one of only three Bermuda batsmen to reach double figures.
In reply, the US slipped to 45 for three inside 11 overs, but 35-year-old Guyana-born captain Steve Massiah steadied the ship and helped steer his side home with three sixes and two fours in his 27-ball 31.
Pick of the Bermuda attack was 17-year-old left-arm slow bowler Delray Rawlins, who took two for 40 from 7.5 overs.
In other matches, Uganda beat Nepal by 20 runs, while Singapore edged Malaysia by two wickets with seven balls to spare.
Playing at Kinrara Academy Oval, Mpho Mukobe and Brian Masaba both scored half-centuries in Uganda's 203 for eight as the pair shared a 137-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
Mukobe's 102-ball 84 included three sixes and six fours, while Masaba hit five fours in his 51.
Opener Naresh Budayair struck 62 for Nepal before he fell in the 38th over with the total on 122 for five, and the target proved out of the team's reach.
Off-spinner Davis Arinaitwe led the Uganda attack with four for 33 from his 10 overs and was well supported by seamer Roger Mukasa's three for 28.
At Selangor Turf Club, half-centuries from captain Ahmed Faiz (57) and Anwar Arudin (51) helped Malaysia reach 136 for two before the team collapsed to 198 all out in the 48th over as Mulewa Dharmichand claimed three for 27 and Abhiraj Singh three for 43.
Opener Arjun Mutreja provided the backbone of Singapore's 199 for eight as they squeezed home after captain Saad Janjua hit a run-a-ball 32, despite the efforts of fast bowler Hassan Ghulam, who finished with four for 15 from 8.2 overs.
On Friday, Bermuda take on Nepal, Malaysia play the US and Singapore face Uganda.
The two finalists will gain promotion to Division Two, which will be played in Namibia from January 17 to 24, 2015. That tournament is the final step in the qualification pathway to the ICC's four-day, first-class competition for Associate and Affiliate members, the ICC Intercontinental Cup, as well as the 50-over World Cricket League Championship.
The tournament was originally scheduled for Uganda but was switched to Malaysia because of health and safety fears in the African country.
