KATHMANDU: The women’s team of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), one of the oldest cricket clubs of the world, is currently on a tour of Nepal since October 22.

It has come to Nepal for playing matches with the Nepali women’s cricket team. It has so far played six friendly matches. Of the six matches, it won two matches and lost four.

MCC, which defeated ICC’s U-19 and Mixed 11 team, however, lost all matches it played with the Cricket Association Nepal (CAN-11) team.

In the words of Rubina Chhetri, the Nepali team skipper, more than victory and defeat, the experience-sharing and learning remained exemplary. “Although we won the match, we could not perform well. We are not used to playing the 40 overs cricket. It is a big thing to play with an old cricket club. We learnt a great deal from them,” she said.

The Nepali team’s coach Jagat Tamata said that the MCC’s tour to Nepal became a learning opportunity for them. “MCC had brought an excellent team. The Nepali players’ self-confidence has been enhanced playing with the MCC team. We won all the games and it was good for us,” he shared.

According to him, the Nepali team’s knowledge has increased as to how to play the 40 overs’ game, how to mentally prepare and paying attention to keeping oneself physically fit for the games after playing the matches with MCC.

The Nepali cricket players got to learn many things after playing with the team that has played in the World Cup, said CAN Kaski president Sanjaya Kanta Sigdel. “There were players who had played in the World Cup in the MCC team. Our players got an opportunity to play with them and have an experience of playing with world-class team. The self confidence of our players has increased after winning matches with them,” he said.

This tournament has also shown the shortcomings of the Nepali players and this has provided an opportunity to improve, he opined.

Claire Taylor, MCC’s manager, expressed that they were thrilled to play the matches with the panoramic view of the Mt Machhapuchchhre and Mt Annapurna in the background. She said the match was highly competitive as the Nepali team is also good.

MCC has a history of 235 years and it is based in Britain, the mother of cricket. Marylebone Cricket Club was established in 1787.

RSS