Sen, Alam fashion Biratnagar win

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, May 15: The Area Number 1- Biratnagar dashed all Kathmandu hopes of entering the final of the Birendra National Cricket League tournament, beating the capital team by 7 wickets in today’s match at the Kirtipur Cricket Ground.

With the win, Biratnagar earned two important points that placed the team at the top of the league-table- six points from four matches after the completion of its fourth match of the tournament.

Five teams from as many cricket zones are competing in the round-robin league tournament organised by the Cricket Association of Nepal and sponsored by the Gorkha Brewery.

Today’s victory has taken the Biratnagar team to the final of the league tournament. The team will face Bhairahawa in the final. The Bhairahawa team have five points from three matches. The tournament favourites is scheudled to play its fourth match against Kathmandu tomorrow. Even a defeat, which seems impossible considering the form of Bhairahawa players, against the Kathmanduites would not stop the Area Number 4 to storm into the final.

In today’s match, Kathmandu’s decision to bat first proved detrimental as their middle order crumbled in the face of Raj Kumar Pradhan and Mahesh Sen’s hostile bowling. Sen was too difficult to play as he claimed four wickets for 15 in just 2.3 overs. Sen’s unbelievable performance that broke the backbone of the Kathmandu’s middle order gave him the man-of- the-match award. Pradhan took three for 25 in his full quota of 10 overs.

For Kathmandu, the top three batsmen produced some runs. Opener Paresh Lohani struggled to make 20 off 47 balls. Lohani’s opening partner Rabindra Thapa contributed 18 before falling to left arm off-spinner Lakpa Lama. After Lohani’s departure at 33, Bardan Chalise took the responsibility of building the innings. Chalise who contributed with 21, the highest run for the Kathmandu, did not find a right partner to post a fighting total against the well-known rivals. With wickets falling at the regular intervals, Kathmandu could only score 121 in 44.3 overs losing all the wickets.

During Biratnagar innings, openers Mehaboob Alam and Yashwant Subedi gave the team a solid start making 75 for the first wicket partnership. Alam hammered 46 that included five 4s and two 6s before being caught by the wicketkeeper off Saroj Chitrakar. Biratanagar, however, suffered another jolt as Subedi followed Alam without adding to the score. But the arrival of experienced Deependra Chaudhary settled the nerves of Biratanagar as he guided the team with his brilliant 31 notout. Chaudhary hit two boundaries and one six in his 58-minute stint.

Kathmandu’s successful bowler was Chitrakar, who took two wickets for 27 in 7 overs.