Dhangadhi, April 10

CYC Attariya and Rupandehi Challengers made winning starts in the Sagarmatha Cement Dhangadhi Premier League here at the SSP cricket grounds today.

Attariya defeated Kathmandu Goldens by 40 runs in the first match of the league organised by Dhangadhi Cricket Academy. Batting first, Attariya posted 146-6 in 20 overs before packing Goldens to a paltry 106 runs with eight balls remaining.

After a disastrous start, Attariya recovered to post a fighting total, thanks to half century from Yogendra Singh Karki and valuable unbeaten 34 from tailender Gyanendra Kuwar. Half of the Attariya team was back to pavilion with just 57 runs on the board and were struggling to add runs to the board.

But Karki and Kuwar shared a 69-run partnership for the sixth wicket before the latter combined with Pradeep Airee to add another 20 runs for the unbroken seventh wicket. Karki struck seven fours and six in his 41-ball 57 before being the second victim of Sompal Kami, while Kuwar’s 23-ball innings included five boundaries. Airee hit a four and six each in his five-ball 13.

Kami returned with the figures of 2-30, while Manjeet Shrestha, Santosh Bhatta and Rohit Kumar pocketed one wicket each for the Goldens.

The Kathmandu-based team had more pathetic start to their innings as they lost first seven wickets for just 33 runs and the last three from 12. In between, Kami and Bhatta tried to consolidate the innings with a 61-run stand for the eighth wicket. Once Kami lost his wicket for 40 off 38 balls that included four boundaries and a six, rest of the Goldens batsmen crumbled. Bhatta struck three fours and six in his 23-ball 31.

Man-of-the-match Avinash Bohara was the chief destroyer for Attariya taking 4-11 from 3.4 overs and he was ably supported by Binod Lama, who returned with the figures of 3-9 from four overs. Sashi Kesari and Pradeep Airee took one wicket each.

In another match, Rupandehi Challengers beat Kanchanpur Iconic by 14 runs. Rupandehi scored 145-8 in 20 overs and restricted Kanchanpur to 131-9. Rupandehi made a solid start with openers Harishankar Shah and Shankar Rana adding 60 runs in the first six overs but they failed to utilize on that and lost wickets at regular interval.

The openers returned to the pavilion in the space of four runs and Rupandehi failed to build partnerships. Shah top scored with 33 off 24 balls that included four boundaries and two sixes, while Rana struck three fours in his 18-ball 19.

No 6 batsman Prakash KC scored 26 off 33, while skipper Shakti Gauchan (16) and Bikram Sob (15 not out) chipped in valuable runs. All three batsmen struck one each four and six. Kushal Bhurtel was the pick of the Kanchanpur bowlers taking 4-36, while Avinash Karn claimed 2-23 and Sunil Dhamala pocketed one wicket.

Kanchanpur made a mediocre start to the run chase but the middle and lower order collapsed as they fell 15 runs short of the target. Opener Sagar Pun scored 39 off 38 balls that included two each fours and sixes, while his partner Sunil Dhamala scored 35-ball 28 hitting two boundaries and a six.

Except for middle-order batsman Kushal Bhurtel, who struck three fours and two sixes in his 13-ball 27, and tailender Avinash Karn, who remained unbeaten on 15 off just nine balls that included two fours and a six, others failed to score in double figures.

Krishna Karki (3-26) and Shahab Alam (3-8) shared six wickets between them, while Rupandehi skipper Shakti Gauchan claimed 2-25 and Dipesh Shrestha pocketed one wicket. Karki was named the man-of-the-match.