Kathmandu, August 23:

THT’s Prakash steals the show with highest break of 180 pins.

Nepal Samacharpatra continued their dominancy on the final day to win the second Media Cup Bowling Tournament, organised by Nepal Bowling Association in association with Nepal Sports Journalists Forum, here today. The Himalayan Times, riding on Prakash Timalsina’s record-breaking 180 pinfalls, finished second while The Kathmandu Post came third. Metro FM and Image Channel came fourth and fifth. Timalsina won the highest scorer’s award breaking Samacharpatra skipper Niranjan Rajbansi’s record by just one pin. Samacharpatra’s Charu Shrestha won the award in female section with 136 pinfalls. At Hotel Shahanshah International, Samacharpatra added 991 pinfalls to their 1973 for a total of 2964. THT, 130 pins behind after two rounds, scored 1047 — the highest total by any team in the three-day tournament — to stand firm at the second spot, 164-pin ahead of third-place The Kathmandu Post, who ended up with 2726.

THT skipper Mahesh Acharya finally found his rhythm and lead the team from front with 158 pinfalls in the first game, while Udipt had a horrible round with just 92 pins. Timalsina rolled down 124 and Shristi had 87 pin falls. The second game was more fruitful for THT. Timalsina broke the record with 180 pins, while Acharya bettered his first-game score by one pin. Udipt improved his game and rolled down 158 pins, while Shristi scored 89. Metro FM had a chance to catch The Kathmandu Post for the third spot, but their lacklustre performance in the first game ended their hopes. They added 917 pins on the third day for a total of 2668 pins. Fifth-placed Image Channel added 846 pins to their two-day total of 1642.

Defending champions Nepal 1 Television failed to prove their supremacy in this edition and ended up with 2337 pinfalls for a sixth spot. Others in the 14-team tournament were The Rising Nepal (2304), Graphic Vision Media (2276), Himalaya Times (2174), Gorkhapatra (2171), Samaya (2060), City Post (2059), Nepal Forum for Photo Journalists (1802), and Kantipur (1732). Senon Dorje Lama, president of Nepal Bowling Association and Bharat Shakya, general manager of Fun World Nepal Recreation Centre, gave away prizes to the winners. Nepal Bowling Association secretary Krishna Basnet, director of Bowling Boulevard Anmol Singh, Operation manager of Fun World Satendra Shrestha, and Lisa Mukhiya, former bowling player, were also present on the occasion.