E-Kantipur

KATHMANDU, MAY 15 -  

An unbeaten 148-runs third wicket stand between captain Paras Khadka and Sharad Vesawkar ensured Armed Police Force (AFP) the trophy of Pepsi Standard Chartered One-Day National Cricket on Saturday.

Riding on the excellent partnership, APF defeated Nepal Police Club (NPC) by eight wickets in the final at the TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur.

Both the teams playing their first national tournament had entered the final remaining unbeaten in the group matches. In the final riding on the excellent partnerships APF chased the target of 217 runs in 42.2 overs.

Openers Paresh Lohani and Dipendra Chaudhary added 39 runs for the first wicket partnership. Lohani who stroked 24 runs off 18 balls including three boundaries was the first to go.

Fajlur Ramhan ran him out in the seventh over to reduce APF to 39 for one. Puspha Thapa trapped Chaudhary (21) leg before in the 16th over with 69/2 on the board.

Khadka, making the most of the batting pitch, played a blistering knock while Vesawkar played a patient innings from the other end to help APF lift the winner’s trophy in their debut.

Khadka, who had come to the crease at two down smashed 10 boundaries and three sixes in his 87-balls 95 runs knock. At the other end, Vesawkar faced 113 balls for his 62 runs which included four boundaries. Earlier, NPC had won the toss and elected to bat. However, the team with a long batting lineup failed to bat sensibly and were bowled out for 216 runs in 49.5 overs.

Amrit Bhattarai provided APF the early break when had opener Binod Bhandari (7) was caught by Vesawkar in the sixth over with 16 runs on the board. Left arm spinner, Shakti Gauchan bowled Mahesh Chhetri (18) in the 12th over trimming NPC to 35/2. Ramhan then held the innings and looked poised to score at least a half century with his big hitting.

However, he misjudged a single and was run out by Prithu Baskota. Ramhan scored 29 runs including three boundaries and two sixes. All rounder, Pradeep Aire then got the runs ticking for NPC. Aire, who got a life right after he had scored the half century, went on to score 65 runs. Khadka bowled him which folded NPC to 210/9 in 48.3 overs.

After the win, which included a cash prize of Rs 1,50,000 and the trophy, captain Khadka said they had prepared hard for the tournament and the win was the reward for that. “On a good batting pitch chasing 217 was not difficult with all the team members contributing,” Khadka said.

NPC received a reward of Rs 1,00,000. NPC’s captain Binod Das said they had little time to practice and thus in need of a little gelling in.

“We were short of 50 runs to start with while our bowling did not click and we need to work a lot in our fielding,” “We will come back stronger in the T-20 nationals,” Das said.

Antim Thapa of Bhairahawa, who stroked 131 runs in four matches including his highest of 62 not out, received the best batsmen award and a cash prize of Rs 15,000 while Gauchan bagged the best bowler and the player of the series award.

Gauchan grabbed 14 wickets in five matches at the average of 4.64 and pocketed Rs 15,000 for the best bowler and Rs 20,000 for the man-of-the-series award.

Posted on: 2011-05-15 08:44

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