Sports
Heartland claim trophy
Heartland College upstaged an all round effort from Ashwini Mandani edging Sudur Paschimanchal Academy (SPA) by four runs to claim the College Premier League Twenty20 cricket tournament title here at the Tribhuvan University grounds on Saturday.Heartland College upstaged an all round effort from Ashwini Mandani edging Sudur Paschimanchal Academy (SPA) by four runs to claim the College Premier League Twenty20 cricket tournament title here at the Tribhuvan University grounds on Saturday.
Electing to bat first, Heartland made 142-9 in 20 overs after Mandani picked up four wickets. SPA, in reply, were bundled out for 138 runs where an enterprising half century from Mandani went in vain. The title triumph also handed Heartland a cash purse of Rs 200,000. Runners-up SPA took home Rs 100,000.
In a glitzy final clash that preceded live performance from singer Nabin K Bhattarai and his band, Heartland were shell-shocked after losing opener Mahesh Chhetri (duck) to Lalit Singh Bhandari in the second ball of the innings. Subhendu Pandey and Pradeep Airee then led the fightback with a 49-run second wicket stand.
Airee top scored for Heartland with a 22-ball 34 that included four boundaries and two sixes, while Pandey chipped in 26 off 23 with five boundaries. Both batsmen fell to Santosh Bhatta.
Mandani then picked up two quick wickets leaving Heartland reeling at 74-5 in 11.1 overs but they recovered once again with a modest 28-run stand between Bhuwan Karki and Shakti Bhandari who made 16 off 18 with a boundary.
The former U-19 skipper Karki then guided Heartland towards a respectable total with another 35-run stand for the seventh wicket with Akash Kaushal who scored six-ball 16 with two sixes. Karki contributed an invaluable 27-ball 29 with two fours and a six. Mandani returned the figures of 4-19 from four overs, his one of the victims included Karki.
With a strong batting line-up, SPA stepped in with in-form opening duo Sandeep Sunar and Subash Khakurel. Sunar had come into the final making half centuries in all three previous matches SPA played but the final was not made for him. Chandra Saud removed Sunar (one) in the first over and SPA were jolted when Bipin Chandra got rid of Raju Rijal (naught) at 4-2 in the second over.
Mandani rebuilt SPA innings adding 38 runs with Khakurel who made a snail-paced seven off 14. The 38-3 read 60-5 after Airee removed Rajbir Singh (10) and Bhatta (zero). Mandani, however, stuck to the crease stitching 48-run partnership with Rahul Singh that brought SPA back in the chase. Chandra then provided the much-needed breakthrough with a prize scalp of Mandani.
Mandani made 57 off 46 with four fours and two sixes and his dismissal saw SPA struggle. Man-of-the-match Chandra struck when it mattered the most dismissing Singh that virtually threw SPA out of contest. Singh made33 off 18 with two fours and as many sixes. Chandra took 3-19 from four overs.
SPA’s Sunar was named the best player of the tournament for his fine performance and won himself a Bajaj Avenger motorbike. It was the first time that a best player of a cricket tournament was rewarded with a motorbike. Sunar also walked away with the best batsman honour. Heartland’s Airee was named the best bowler.
by four runs