Kathmandu, March 30:

Sharad Vesawkar and Gyanendra Malla hit half centuries while Raju Basnet returned with career best 5-15 as Region No 3 (Kathmandu) beat Region No 2 (Birgunj) by 81 runs in the Springwood Senior One Day National Cricket League today.

Electing to bat first at the TU Stadium, Kathmandu overcame a slow start to score 203-7 in 50 overs, while Birgunj could only muster 122 runs in 40 overs.

Kathmandu were reeling at 39-3 after 15 overs, but a 146-run stand off 218 balls between Sharad Vesawkar and Gyanendra Malla guided their team to a defendable total. Kathmandu lost openers Paresh Lohani (4) and Subash Khakurel (2) as well as No 4 batsman Dipendra Chaudhary (18) fell cheaply Binod Das to invite pressure for themselves.

Vesawkar top-scored with 83 off 152 balls including five fours and two sixes while Malla hit five fours in his 98-ball 61 that guided their team to 185/4. Other batsmen failed to score in double figures as three more wickets for just 18 runs.

The scores were personal best for both Vesawkar and Malla in the national tournament. Vesawkar’s previous best was 71, while Malla had the personal mark of 59 runs.

Das took 4-27 off 10 overs and also effected two run outs, while Sameer Thapa took the other wicket.

In reply, Birgunj scored 16 runs off the first two overs, but lost the wickets in regular intervals before being bundled out for 122. Hasim Ansari top-scored for Birgunj with 25 off 33 balls, while Sanjam Regmi contributed 15 and Sameer Thapa 14. Anil Mandal and Shovakanta Pandey made 12 each, while Kumar Prasun scored 11 and Raj Mohammad 10.

Man of the match Raju Basnet (5-15) took his first five-wicket haul in national tournaments, while Paras Khadka claimed 3-19 and Raman Shrestha one wicket for Kathmandu.

On Monday, Kathmandu will take on Baitadi at Pulchowk Engineering College, while Birgunj play Nepalgunj at the TU Stadium.

Basnet first to reach 50-wkt mark:

KATHMANDU: Raju Basnet of Kathmandu became the first bowler to take 50 wickets in the national league when he claimed his career best 5-15 against Birgunj at the Springwood Senior One Day National Cricket League on Sunday.

The left-arm spinner achieved the feat when he dismissed Kumar Prasun of Birgunj in his 24th match of the national league. His previous best was 4-8 against Biratnagar in 2004. Binod Das of Birgunj is second with 48 wickets from 20 matches, while Raj Kumar Pradhan of Biratnagar is third with 45 from 22 matches. Mehboob Alam of Biratnagar has 39 wickets to his credit from 22 matches and Bhairahawa’s Shakti Gauchan is next with 38 wickets from 20 matches.

“This is a special achievement for me as I think this is the return of my commitment towards the sport,” said Basnet. “I would like to thank all of my teammates who supported me since the first national tournament,” he added.

National team coach Roy Luke Dias said the achievement was good for a player. “We have very few tournaments and reaching the milestone being a spinner is great,” he said. — HNS

Year Wkts Matches

2002 5 4

2003 8 3

2004* 20 9

2005 0 1

2006 6 2

2007 6 4

2008 5 1

Team Wkts Matches

Vs Baitadi 3 3

Vs Bhairahawa 10 6

Vs Biratnagar 10 5

Vs Birgunj 18 6

Vs Nepalgunj 9 4