An all-round performance by Karima Gore, combined with a super innings from Aaron Jones and a brilliant cameo from Elmore Hutchinson gave United States of America their first win in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League Two, and also made for a memorable result in the first one-day international played on home soil.
USA recovered from a poor start to post 251 in 50 overs, the highest total so far in the competition, on Friday, 13 September. Multiple rain interruptions meant Papua New Guinea had their target adjusted to 165 from 23 overs. They fell a little short, finishing on 159/6, as the home side won by five runs (DLS method).
Batting first, USA lost three wickets by the ninth over to be 45/3. Monank Patel (35) and Aaron Jones (77) then set up a good partnership, before Gore (31) and Elmore Hutchinson (42*) gave them a boost.
Coming back just after a rain interruption, 37-year-old Elmore Hutchinson on his ODI debut slammed 24 runs off of the last over to finish his 21-ball effort with 42 not out.
Elmore Hutchinson launches a straight six © ICC/Peter Della Penna
Heavy rain in Florida at the innings break delayed the chase. PNG, desperate to get their first win in the competition, were originally given a target of 177 runs in 25 overs and they looked to play aggressively. They took their chances and ran hard.
After Tony Ura’s run-out in the second over, captain Assad Vala (46) and Charles Amini (55) built up a strong partnership. Nisarg Patel got the breakthrough with Vala’s wicket.
The match came down to the last over, when Rusty Theron, the former South Africa bowler, secured USA’s win with the big wicket of the set Amini. Jason Kila (8) and Alei Noa (5) fought hard, but fell short.
“The History Makers” #TeamUSA??’s Starting XI that became the first USA team to ever win a One Day International today in Florida vs Papua New Guinea!
?© ICC/Peter Della Penna pic.twitter.com/KSkUw7NwBH
— USA Cricket (@usacricket) September 14, 2019
Player of the Match, USA’s Jones said: “Today was a very special day for USA Cricket because it’s the first time playing an international game on the home soil. We won the toss, which was good for us. But batting wise, we started off shaky and lost early wickets. I told myself I have to bat through. The wicket was a bit slow but I know once I got in I would be able to score runs today, I was confident batting in the nets and I just tried to execute that and I came out on top.”
The tri-series is USA’s first as part of ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 also features Namibia, who will be playing their first match on 17 September against USA. The teams will all play each other twice.
Team USA’s schedule is as follows with all games starting at 9:45am ET:
- September 13 USA vs Papua New Guinea – Won by 5 Runs (DLS Method)
- September 17 USA vs Namibia
- September 19 USA vs Papua New Guinea
- September 20 USA vs Namibia
These matches will be the first ever official One Day International matches on American soil after the U.S. Men’s National Team gained ODI status at WCL2 in Namibia in April and are the first in a series of 36 ODIs that Team USA will play over the next 2.5 years as part of ICC Cricket World Cup League 2. Additional information on ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 can be found here.
Team USA squad:
Saurabh Netravalkar (C – Marin 1, Northern California Cricket Association)
Steven Taylor (VC – Sheffield Cricket Club, New York Metropolitan Cricket League)
Karima Gore (Antigua/USA)
Elmore Hutchinson (Caribbean CC, Southern California Cricket Association)
Aaron Jones (Atlantis Cricket Club, New York Metropolitan Cricket League)
Nosthush Kenjige (Atlantis Cricket Club, New York Metropolitan Cricket League)
Jaskaran Malhotra (Triggers Cricket Club, Houston Cricket League)
Xavier Marshall (Villagers Athletic Sports Club, New York Metropolitan Cricket League)
Monank Patel (Freedom Cricket Club, Cricket League of New Jersey)
Nisarg Patel (Vijayta Cricket Club, Southern California Cricket Association)
Sagar Patel (Indian Lions, ArkTenn Cricket League)
Timil Patel (Vijayta Cricket Club, Southern California Cricket Association)
Jasdeep Singh (Smashers Cricket Club, Cricket League of New Jersey)
Rusty Theron (Potomac Cricket Club, Washington Cricket League)
