SA, Nepal, Bermuda, New Zealand post wins

KUALA LUMPUR, February 21: South Africa cantered to an easy seven-wicket victory over lowly Papua New Guinea in a last Group B league match to keep their hopes alive in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup here on Thursday.
The junior Proteas bowled PNG out for a paltry 125 with Jonathan leg-spinner Jonathan Vandiar (4-27) cleaning up the PNG lower order after Wayne Parnell and Matthew Arnold had done the early damage.
Chasing a small target, the South Africans knocked off the required runs in 14.2 overs to make sure they improved their net run-rate. Pieter Malan came good with a cultured 56, to make amends of his two successive ducks in the last two matches.
South Africa, who have garnered four points from three matches, must hope that India beat West Indies on Friday at Kinrara Oval which will see them finishing runners-up in the group behind India who already have four points from two wins.
West Indies have two points from as many matches and have a better run-rate than the South Africans and a Windies win on Friday against India will be enough for Larry Gomes' team to make it to the last eight. In that case, SA's destination will be Johor and the Plate Competition.
In Penang, Nepal beat Namibia by just three runs in a thrilling low-scoring Group C match at the Malaysian University of Science ground.
Batting first, Nepal made 164 with Mahesh Chhetri top-scoring on 62. In reply, Namibia fell just three agonising runs short despite 65 from Louis van der Westhuizen and 41 from Sean Silver.
At Johor Cricket Academy, Malaysia was unable to repeat its heroics from the previous day when it beat Zimbabwe as it lost to a rampant New Zealand by eight wickets.
Batting first, the hosts were dismissed for just 47 runs in 17.1 overs. Trent Boult ripped through the Malaysian batting claiming seven victims for 20 runs. Tim Southee, Boult's opening strike partner took the other three Malaysian wickets for just 19 runs.
In reply, New Zealand lost two wickets before reaching the target in just 11.1 overs.
At the Royal Selangor Club Bermuda made up for a couple of poor results in the tournament so far with a 20-run victory over Ireland as the two weaker teams in Group D fought it out.
With England and Bangladesh in action on Friday to see who will top Group D, Ireland and Bermuda can now prepare for life in the Plate Championship next week.
On Friday, Australia clash with Sri Lanka in Penang to decide who tops Group C while defending champion Pakistan play Zimbabwe in Johor in a must-win Group A game for the Africans following their defeat to Malaysia on Wednesday.
Brief Scores:
New Zealand beat Malaysia by eight wickets:
Malaysia 47 all out in 17.1 overs (Trent Boult 7-20); New Zealand 48-2 in 11.1.overs (Kane Williamson 27; Sarvana Raj 2-15)
Nepal beat Namibia by three runs: Nepal 164 all out in 49.5 overs (Mahesh Chhetri 62; Louis van der Westhuizen 2-17) Namibia 161 all out in 49 overs (Louis van der Westhuizen 65, Gyanendra Malla 2-3, Rahul Vishwakarma 2-23)
South Africa beat PNG by seven wickets: PNG 125 all out in 45 overs (Tanti Heni 35, Jonathan 4-27) South Africa 126 for 3 in 14.2 overs (Pieter Malan 56)
Bermuda beat Ireland by 20 runs: Bermuda 221-9 in 50 overs (Rodney Trott 64; James Hall 3-44) Ireland 201 all out in 48.4 overs (Chris Dougherty 70; Christopher Douglas 5-40).