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YCC beat East-West, clinch title
BHAIRAHAWA, DEC 07 - Youth Cricket Club of Biratnagar bagged US$ 1,000 defeating East-West Courier, Kathmandu by four wickets in the Late Sunil Sarkar Indo-Nepal Cricket Tournament at the Siddartha Stadium today.
East-West elected to bat first and went on to score commanding 197 runs in 39 overs. YCC batted sensibly and chased the required target in 35.4 overs - a record chase so far in the tournament. The final was also extraordinary because although both the finalists were Nepal based team, they combined to field 19 Indian players.
Some bazooka-hitting by captain Sony Vaidh put East-West on top after they lost semifinal hero Navin Verma in the very first over of the match. East-West suffered further blow when in-form Ratan Rauniyar and Parminder Singh went cheaply. Vaidh and former Nepali international Birendra Shah added precious 73 runs for the fourth wicket to consolidate East-West’s innings. Shah entertained the capacity crowd belting three huge sixers but lofted an easy catch to wicket-keeper Kastub Ganguly making brisk 29 runs.
Vaidh, who opened his account with a six, went on to hit four boundaries and three sixes in his 50-ball fiery knock. He reached his half-century in just 38 deliveries and walked away with the quickest-fifty prize. Tailender Sailendra smashed 21 runs including two sixers as East-West asked YCC to break tournament’s record by making 198 in the allotted 40 overs.
Right-arm spinner Dharmendra Misra notched three wickets in his eight-over spell. Medium pacers Dinesh Pawar and Chandra Prakash Verma along with spinner Lalit Verma claimed two wickets each. Captain Rajkumar Pradhan just bowled an over and conceded 13 runs to his counterpart Vaidh.
"They were a tough team to beat," YCC captain Raj Kumar Pradhan told The Kathmandu Post. "We knew they are sound in spin so we relied on our medium pacers," Pradhan added. He also said the club would invest the prize money to buy new kits and improve training facilities.
YCC put on 53 runs for the first wicket stand after Avdesh Sriwastab severely punished Joginder Singh and Parmender Singh taking advantage of the field restrictions. Sriwastaba belted run-a-ball 36 runs. YCC looked like to be in trouble after losing four quick wickets but Dinesh Pawar and Lalit Verma held the innings together avoiding the later hiccups. Dharmendra Misra ensured cheque of US$ 1,000 for YCC making solid 38 runs including two towering sixes. Pramod Rai remained unbeaten at seven.
Sonu Vaidh was the only bowler to give tough time to YCC batsmen coming up with two wickets as rest of East-West bowlers looked uncomfortable against them.
YCC’s Dharmendra Misra was named man of the final and best bowler of the tournament while his teammate Amit Tiwari bagged a golden locket being man of the series. East-West’s Sailendra Kathayat was named best fielder and Abdesh Sriwastawa of YCC was adjudged the best batsman. In the award distribution ceremony graced by Benu Sarkar, wife of Late Sunil Sarkar, Asian Games bronze medallist Tul B Thapa and SSP Ramesh K Shrestha gave away cash prizes and certificates to players and umpires. A total of 14 Nepali and Indian teams participated in the Nepal’s most highly rewarding tournament organized by Siddartha Youth Club.Posted on: 2003-12-08 04:10
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