Kathmandu, March 24

Kantipur City College and Kathmandu University won the opening day matches of the Golden Gate College Cricket League here at the TU Stadium today.

KCC defeated Orchid International College by five wickets riding on a hat-trick from Dinesh Agri in the first match, while KU beat Nepal Bon College by 117 runs in another game.

KCC invited Orchid to take the first strike and bowled them out for 90 runs in 16.5 overs. In reply, KCC reached the target losing five wickets with 11 balls to spare. Sachin Adhikari top scored for Orchid with 30 off 28 balls hitting three fours and a six, while Hemanta Oli (16) and Nichal Aryal (16) were the other batsmen who made notable contributions.

Agri, who claimed the scalps of Mahesh Khatri, Chandra Kanta Paudel and Suman Humagain in the third, fourth and fifth balls of the 17th over to complete the hat-trick, returned with the figures of 4-22.

Subash Budha took two wickets, while Nagendra Upadhyaya, Shruba Panthi and Sanjay Yadav pocketed one each for KCC.

Agri returned to top score for KCC with an unbeaten 23 off just 14 balls that included two fours and the winning six. Birendra Bam scored 13 not out, while opener Ramesh Bhatta scored 22 and Dipendra Airee made 11. Suman Humagain took two wickets for Orchid, while Chandra Kanta Paudel and Bigyan Gautam claimed one each.

In another match, Prabin Rijal and Dinesh Budha Magar scored half centuries as KU posted 188-5 in their allotted 20 overs before packing Bon for a paltry 71 runs in 12.5 overs. Opener Rijal scored run-aball 51 hitting six fours, while Budha Magar struck six fours and a six in his 37-ball 50. Skipper Ishan Pandey scored 32 off just 14 balls that included three fours and two sixes.

Jay Saud took three wickets and Yunten Lama grabbed two for Ban.

In reply, Ahmed was the lone Bon batsman to score in double figures with 18 runs, while five of them failed to open their accounts.

Rupesh Shrivastav and Somu Devkota took three wickets each for KU, while Navin Yadav grabbed two.

A total of 12 teams are taking part in the tournament organised by University Cricket Club. Top two sides will receive Rs 222,222 and Rs 111,111 respectively, while player of the series will get Rs 25,000. The best batsman and bowler will earn Rs 10,000 each, while the man-ofthe-match will get Xtep shoes worth Rs 5,000.

Earlier, Vice-Chancellor of Tribhuvan University Tirtha Khaniya inaugurated the tournament. President of Higher Institutions and Secondary Schools’ Association Nepal Ramesh Silwal and TU Registrar Dilli Ram Upreti were also present on the occasion.