Kathmandu, May 27
Nepal APF Club registered their second straight victory, while Province-3 recorded first win in the Expert Prime Minister Cup One Day Cricket Tournament here today.
At the TU Stadium, APF defeated Farwest Province by three wickets. Farwest were bowled out for 125 runs in 37.1 overs, while APF reached 127 in 34.4 overs but not before losing seven wickets.
Chasing a low target, APF lost quick wickets in the middle to make it difficult on their own. Openers Sharad Vesawkar and Aasif Sheikh put on 36 runs on the board before both of them were dismissed in the space of eight runs. Vesawkar scored 26 off 36 balls hitting three boundaries and a six, while Sheikh struggled to make three off 28 balls.
It soon became 69-5 after Shankar Rana (one), Sumit Maharjan (15) and Pradeep Singh Airee (10) fell cheaply.
Sandeep Jora and skipper Prithu Baskota then added 40 runs for the sixth wicket to take the team score past three digits. After Jora, who struck one each four and six in his 26-ball 22, and Bhuvan Karki (two) returned the pavilion, skipper Baskota and Amar Singh Routela took the team home. Baskota remained unbeaten in 32 off 47 balls that included five fours.
Binod Lama took 3-35 for Farwest, while Sher Malla grabbed 2-33. Bikash Agri and Narendra Saud also pocketed one wicket each.
Earlier, Lokesh bam top scored for Farwest with 30 off 58 balls, while opener Bipin Rawal contributed 21.
Khadak Bokara (19), Roshan Adhikari (16) and skipper Sher Malla (11) got starts but they failed to convert them into big knocks. Abinash Bohara took 2-29 for APF, while man-of-the-match Prithu Baskota, Sharad Vesawkar and Bhuvan Karmi grabbed one wicket each.
Province-3 win
At the newly-built Mulpani grounds, Province-3 registered a six-wicket victory over Province-5. Played at the matting wickets with black paint on the wall as a sight screen, Province-5 were bowled out for 122 runs in 42 overs before Province-3 reached 123-4 in 21.5 overs.
Shubhendu Pandey top scored for Province-5 with 20 off 39 balls that included three fours, while Suraj Daral was the second best with 18. Opener Sandeep Sunar (14) and Saurav Khanal (13) also scored in double figures for Province-5.
Province-3 skipper Paras Khadka returned with 4-24 from 10 overs and he was able supported by Surya Tamang (3-16) and Nandan Kumar Yadav (2-31). Pratish GC grabbed one wicket.
Tamang was later named the man of the match.
In reply, Province-3 made a flying start with openers Rit Gautam and Rabin Joshi putting in 72 runs in 11 overs. Gautam was the first to go but he was the top scorer with 37 off just 29 balls that included seven boundaries.
After the fall of Joshi, who struck five fours in his 41- ball 35, Province-3 lost skipper Khadka (one) and Avishek Basnet (two) in the space of six runs to be 102-4.
Ishan Pandey and Aadil Khan then took the team home without further loss.
Pandey remained unbeaten on 21 off 30 balls hitting one each four and six, while Khan struck two fours in his 18-ball 12 not out.
A Kharel (2-26) and Siddhant Raj Shahi (2-16) shared four wickets between them for Province-5.
The post APF make it two in a row appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
Written by Sandeep Sen
This news first appeared on https://thehimalayantimes.com/sports/apf-make-it-two-in-a-row/ under the title “APF make it two in a row”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
