The opening day of World Cricket League Division Three has seen the USA, Uganda and Singapore all record wins in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

USA won the toss in their game against Bermuda, choosing to bowl first. Former West Indies international Jermaine Lawson had a great start to his second international career when he had Terryn Fray caught behind from the first ball of the match. Bermuda never got into the match from that point on.

Usman Shuja took the next three wickets to fall, with Bermuda finding themselves on 30-4 in the tenth over. Only three Bermuda batsmen were able to reach double figures, with Allan Douglas top scoring with 36 before he became the second wicket for Lawson. Lawson then took the final wicket two balls later and Bermuda had been bowled out for just 106.

The USA had a little bit of a scare early in their reply, losing three wickets within the first 11 overs, but they were never really in any trouble. Captain Steve Massiah top scored for them, making 31 before he was out, and his team secured a six wicket win with over half of their innings still to come.

In the match between old rivals Singapore and Malaysia at the Selangor Turf Club, Singapore chose to field first after winning the toss. Malaysia lost Nasir Shafiq relatively early before Anwar Arudin and Ahmed Faiz put on 62 for the second wicket, the partnership ending when Arudin was out for 51, the first of three wickets for Mulewa Dharimchand.

Fiaz went on to score 57 before he was one of three quick wickets by Abhiraj Singh, and the hosts were bowled out for 198.

Singapore at one point looked to be cruising towards a reasonably straightforward victory, with Arjun Mutreja and Christopher Janik putting on 83 for the fourth wicket before Janik was run out for 32. Hassan Ghulam, who had already taken one wicket earlier on, then put the pressure on Singapore, taking three quick wickets late on, including that of Mutreja for 73.

With Ghulam on 4-16 and Singapore on 172-7, Ghulam went down with an injury and had to be taken out of the attack in the 45th over. With Ghulam out of the attack, Singapore were able to chase down the total, losing only one more wicket in the process to win by two wickets.

The other match of the day saw Uganda bat first against Nepal after losing the toss at the Kinrara Academy Oval. Nepal's bowling attack was well on top early on in the innings, reducing Uganda to 23-5 inside the first 14 overs. But Mpho Mukobe and Brian Masaba recovered the innings well for them, putting on 137 for the sixth wicket before Masaba was out for 51.

Mukobe scored 84 before he was out, and Uganda scored 203-8 from their 50 overs. Paras Khadka was the pick of the Nepali bowlers with 3-34.

In reply, the only Nepali batsmen to get any sort of a start was Naresh Budayair, who scored 62 before he was the fifth man out in the 38th over. The next highest individual score was 22, made by three different batsmen. Nepal were bowled out for 183 to lose by 20 runs. Davis Arinaitwe was the top Ugandan bowler, taking 4-33.

The tournament will continue tomorrow with Bermuda playing Nepal, Singapore playing Uganda and hosts Malaysia taking on the USA.

Results

USA beat Bermuda by 6 wickets
Bayumas Oval, Selangor, 23 October
Bermuda 106 (26.5 overs, A Douglas 36, Usman Shuja 3-12, J Lawson 3-30)
USA 107-4 (21.5 overs)

Malaysia lost to Singapore by 2 wickets
Selangor Turf Club, 23 October
Malaysia 198 (47.3 overs, Ahmed Fiaz 57, Anwar Arudin 51, M Dharmichand 3-27, Abhiraj Singh 3-43)
Singapore 199-8 (48.5 overs, A Mutreja 73, Hassan Ghulam 4-16)

Uganda beat Nepal by 20 runs
Kinrara Academy Oval, 23 October
Uganda 203-8 (50 overs, M Mukobe 84, B Masaba 51, P Khadka 3-34)
Nepal 183 (48.5 overs, N Budayair 62, D Arinaitwe 4-33, R Mukasa 3-28)