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| Kathmandu Friday March 15, 2002 Chaitra 02, 2058. |
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Banke
snatch title from Baitadi
Post Report
DHANGADHI, March 14 :
Banke, making most out of Baitadi’s poor team combination and
running-between-the-wickets, scored a thrilling 17-run win in the final Thursday to clinch
the Regional-level Cricket tournament being organised by the Regional Cricket Development
Committee under the auspices of Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN).
Banke posted a
challenging total of 266 runs for nine wickets in the allotted 50 overs after they won the
toss and elected to bat first.
Opening pair of Mahesh
Chhetri and Arun Thapa laid a solid base, putting on a half-century partnership. Chhetri
hit three fours on his way to 36 runs and Thapa made 41 with the help of eight fours
before falling to Anand Thapa.
However, some big
hitting from Banke team skipper Khagendra Kunwar (52) and Ganesh Shahi (30) saw them post
the big total.
Anand Thapa was the
most successful among Baitadi bowlers with three wickets and went on to become the
tournament’s highest wicket taker with 12 wickets.
In reply, Baitadi were
at one stage well on course for the victory but poor understanding in the team witnessed
as many as three batsmen throw away their wickets needlessly to be all out for 249 in 48.3
overs.
After a poor start, a
solid innings of 98 runs from Dhirendra Chand put them on the hunt. Scoring at better than
run-a-ball, he made his runs off only 91 deliveries hitting two sixes and eight fours. He
shared two half-century stands with Sameer Chand (22) and Bhim Bhandari (30). But all
three of them authored their own downfall, being run out at crucial stage.
Banke skipper Kunwar,
who would be declared tournament’s best batsman and man of the final, put himself
into attack and walked away with four wickets. Banke virtually made clean sweep of all
laurels as Arun Thapa won man of the series award. |
