Dhangadhi, March 22

Attariya beat Campus Road by seven wickets to enter the final of the Sagarmatha Cement Dhangadhi Cricket League-3 here at the SSP grounds today.

In the first qualifier between the top two teams of the league, Campus Road scored 95-9 in 20 overs before Attariya raced to 97-3 in 18.1 overs. Campus Road made a bad start losing openersRaman Bam (five) and Saroj Ayer (15) with just 23 runs on the board in six overs. Santosh Bhatt (one) was also dismissed cheaply, while Chandra Saud (seven) followed soon making it 39-4 in 13.2 overs.

Campus Road never recovered and they lost another three wickets in the space of two runs to be reeling at 49-7 in 15 overs. No 9 batsman Narayan Joshi fought a lonely battle down the order and remained unbeaten on 23 off just 16 balls that included a four and a six. Lokesh Bam (11) was the only other batsmen to score in double figures for Campus Road.

Prem Tamang was the chief destroyer as he was the pick of the Attariya bowlers taking 4-15 from four overs, while Binod Bhandari and Gyanendra Kunwar took two wickets each and Surendra Chand picked one.

In reply, Attariya lost opener Sailesh Kadayat for a naught in the first ball of the innings before Gyanendra Kunwar (four) was dismissed cheaply. Another opener Prem Tamang and Mehboob Alam steadied the innings with a 51-run partnership for the third wicket. The former national team opener Alam struck three fours and as many sixes in his fiery 20-ball 37 before he was bowled by Chandra Saud.

Tamang and Binod Bhandari then took the team home without further loss. Tamang remained unbeaten on 40 off 52 balls that included five boundaries, while Bhandari hit two fours in his 18-ball 10. For Campus Road, Saud, Lalit Singh Bhandari and Sagar Bhandari took a wicket each.

Campus Road will get a second chance to make it to the final when they face Chauraha in the second qualifier. Chauraha outplayed Hasanpur Royals by 78 runs in the Eliminator later on the day. Batting first, Chauraha scored 152-9 before packing Hasanpur to a paltry 74 in 17.4 overs.