Yet another season of GNC OneDayer concluded with victorious Nepcoms Laligurans lifting the trophy beating rival Mirchi Lumbini. Laligurans won the battle in an empathetic fashion, glorifying themselves with their second trophy for the tournament. Chasing the target of 137 for victory set by Lumbini, Laligurans made the ground after wobbly start. The star of the show Ashish Siwakoti played vital role to drag Laligurans to conquer the victory. His 46 runs of 82 deliveries was the backbone of Laligurans’ run- chase. A little cameo from Nabin Gurung provided thumping to both bowling attack and the blood pressure of the crowd. A well orchestrated plan of attack and batting lineup has seen Laligurans to prevail over its much competitive nemesis. In a classic showdown between two giants of the game, emotions, nerves and passion played vital role. With the norm of final, heat was on both sides to settle the score. Gough Whitlam Park had bit for everyone. The pitch offered pace for seamers, while batsmen enjoyed the true bounce. It was inevitable that a big score was key to success. With grey sky and cooler atmosphere, Captain Arjen Aryal elected to bowl first for Laligurans. Openers Abhay Shrestha and Govind Karki from Lumbini had celebrated success as a pair by far. Specially, Abhay had good run coming up to the final. However, reciprocating it to execution in the finals was different ball game. Laligurans’ Gunjan Shrestha gave taste of pace and swings to the batsmen. Both batsmen controlled their urge for big shots earlier. However, Govind karki is not known for his slower game. On Gunjan‘s second over, Govind Lofted the ball at mid on providing a rare chance. However, fieldsman Uddhav Chalise grassed it. Dropping Govind’s catch is a felony in itself as he can turn the game around alone. However, Captain Arjen Aryal bowled and set the field trapping him the very next over. Govind exiled contributing only 9 runs to the total. Gunjan rippled through Abhay’s stumps to put Laligurans on course on the very next over. Abhay’s wicket with 8 runs was not what Lumbini needed on the batting pitch. Lumbini’s most productive phase came with the partnership of Captain Dipendra Bhattrai (11) and Sagar Khadka (36). However, creating a safety net for saving wickets, they set their scoring to minimum. As a result, only 47 runs were yielded for 97 balls. Ketan Pokharel (22) also managed to keep the attack on bay churning 46 deliveries. Runs tickled rather than flowing as ball scarce of boundary rope. Rajmani Dhakal broke the shackles by taking 4 vital wickets including Sagar Khadka and Dipendra Bhattarai. It was not till Noor Thapa (11 of 11 balls) and Ram Chalise (12 of 13 balls) provided some urgency in batting. Clearly, Lumbini fail to absorb the hype of the occasion. Batting sensibly almost proved lifeless. Praise must be sung though, for Lumbini as they have done their homework against quality spin attack of Laligurans that had cast fear and uncertainty in many rival teams. Laligurans’ chief tormentor Ajay Chettri bowled with flight and drift. However, Lumbini had plan for safer play to keep wickets intact. Raj Kumar Gurung also remained wicket less. Lumbini’s modest batting reflected on scoreboard with 136 runs in total. Laligurans’ run chase was far from ideal as opener Raj Kumar Gurung (0) and Uddhav Chalise (4) departed quickly sparking the fear of collapse. Sudhir Shrestha (8) played a glorious square cut, carpeting the ball all the way to the boundary. However, his glory ended with the superb delivery. A surprise shuffle in batting order seen Nabin Gurung taking the guard at no. 5. The score board of 3 for 42 in 10th over was less impressive. Nabin changed the course of game smashing two huge sixes and 2 fours accumulating 20 just off 13 balls. And the very moment Lumbini realised that they have underestimated their opponent’s batting strength. Nabin brought crowd alive with his clean hitting. However, his success was short lived as he skied the slower delivery from saga Khadka. “Nobody question his talent just the temperament” as he sacrificed his wicket. With drama unfolding other end, Ashish Siwakoti was virtually undetected from Lumbini’s radar. Ashish initially laboured for his runs but proved pivotal as he partnered with Nabin, Arjen (15) and later with Gunjan (6 no) to put Laligurans on the top. The beauty of his inning was his responsible approach and careful execution of his batting. Lumbini had the long list of ‘target’ players with specific plans for them. And they were successful in many fronts. However, Ashish played gem of the inning anchoring and scripting the victory for Laligurans. His flawless inning was mixture of self control and understanding of the game, which saw him securing Man of the Match award for it. Laligurans concluded victory with 3 wickets to spare. Credit to captain Arjen Aryal for timely change of bowling options to capture vital wickets specially using Rajmani in short bursts. Ashis’s subtle and Nabin’s full throttle batting display confused Lumbini’s plan of attack. At the end, equation was in favour of Laligurans no matter where the sum began. Victorious Laligurans shines once again on the back of their healthy performance. Till the next season Good Luck and Good Bye.

A bitterly bruised and battered Myagdi is in soul searching after losing to Mirchi Lumbini in a crucial second semi-final match. Myagdi United failed to copy their pre-match form and dud out only for 57 runs handing an easy win for Lumbini. Myagdi’s loss sunk them so deep that their renascence as a Trophy Holder is unheard of. Myagdi opted to bat first despite Manish Shrestha’s absence. Manish has been a proven match winner batsman for many innings Myagdi has played. Captain Pradeep Panta gambled with Dipendra Thapa at the top of the order. Pawan Chhetri started superbly, however Dipendra Thapa fell to an ill judged double run. It was an astronomical loss to Myagdi as Dipendra is a formidable batsman for late overs. Captain Pradeep Panta soon realised his tactical error and brought himself to the crease. For next few overs Pawan diminish Lumbini’s bowling attack scoring freely. Crisp hitting and sound pick up made his play jovial to watch. Pradeep Panta supported with his form to guide the team 37 runs in 6th over. Mercurial bowler Kiran Bhattarai leaked unprovoked 23 runs including 6 wides just in 2 overs. Fellow paceman Ketan Pokharel though economical was blunt. On the back of good foundation with two set batsmen, Myagdi was cruising to make a sizeable total. To restrict the flow of run, Lumbini brought their tweakers. This has been a proven success story for them. With the introduction of slow bowlers, the batsmen had fallacy of making quick runs. Myagdi showed an immense lack of cricketing ’Mantra’. Both Manish (0) and Pradeep (16) had serious lapsed of judgement playing rash shots under crucial phase. While Pawan’s little cameo came to end with Dipendra’s flighted delivery, adjudged LBW. As a result, Myagdi lost four key wickets within first 10 overs of the innings to throw away a good start. Both Dipendra Bhattarai and Sagar Khadka celebrated with 2 and 3 wickets. The pressure created by loss of wickets led Myagdi to slid 41 for 4 in 10th overs. Even with early loss of wickets, Myagdi had key batsmen like Suraj Bariyait, Dev Biswokarma and Bishnu Bhandari to make a positive total, however the day belonged to Lumbini. Ram Chalise bowled with ‘Midas touch’ claiming four wickets. This crippled Myagdi so much that the aspiration for their victory would have been a miracle, playing only 17 overs for 57 runs on board. Lumbini’s nominal run chase had a catastrophic sequence. Inform batsman Avaya Shrestha lost his wicket just for 10 runs. Govind karki (5), Noor Thapa (0), Ketan Pokharel (4) all got out cheaply. Returning fresh from head injury, Manoj KC once again dazzled with 3 key wickets. Captain Pradeep Panta also tormented the batsmen with his fine spell, capturing 2 vital wickets. Captain Dipendra Bhattarai added valuable 17 runs to pull the weight towards Lumbini. His departure caused another mini collapse with Safal Basnet (1) and Sushant Koirala (2) failed to response. This exposed both contentment in Myagdi camp and the flaws in Lumbini’s batting line up. Lumbini’s reliance on Sagar Khadka’s (6) contribution had staged. He guided the team to victory just in 15 overs. Too little too late as Myagdi simply did not had enough runs to defend. Ram Chalise was judged man of the Match for his outstanding bowling effort. Lumbini may be pleased with the win but one cause for concern was that there was little contribution from the top order batsmen in the side even for modest total losing 7 wickets chasing 58 runs does not favour Lumbini’s batting power. The victory takes Lumbini to compete final with Laligurans, setting up an exciting prospect.

The outstanding batting performance by opener Rajkumar Gurung has propelled Laligurans to Final. Rival Intouch Sagarmatha played their best to conquer though Laligurans edged out with last wicket. Dubbed as the ‘thriller’ of GNC Series, the match took several twists and turns. In the vital match, both teams provided great performance to keep spectators on the edge of their seats. With grey sky and chilly conditions, bowling would have been ideal. Therefore, winning toss Laligurans invited to bat. However, Robin Tamrakar (10) and Atul Shrestha (21) batted cautiously. Both batsmen had enough experience of dual paced pitch at Lees Park, playing naturally with each ball on its merit. Atul displayed sound judgement with pull and cuts on his way to 21. Bowlers Gunjan Shrestha and Uddhav Chalise shared the new ‘cherry’, bowling impeccable line with hint of swing. Rajmani Dhakal also bowled with plenty of prowess. However, all three bowlers shared one common theme by remaining wicketless. Captain Ganesh DC went for experienced Sudhir Shrestha to break drought. Sudhir bowled cleverly, mixing the pace up deceived Robin to play false shot at mid on, where Rajmani took a comfortable catch. Sagarmatha lost its first wicket with 35 runs on board. Shashi Keshari (7) failed to surpass bowling, while Atul’s promising start ended with death trapping run out and Aakash Bhattarai could not live up to the hype. Rajendra Shrestha played with fluency and authority adding 28 runs to the total, partnering with him, Abnish Nepal conjoint innings for Sagarmatha. Abnish batted with ambition collecting singles and hitting loose balls to boundary on his way to polished 45. Laligurans bowling draw card- Ajay Kshatry stamped out batsmen with his tweakers. Even Rajendra Shrestha and Abnish Nepal failed to use their judgement attempting to attack. With good foundation of runs, Sagarmatha failed to capitalise posting a record target. With 4 for 117 runs in 24th over, the next 11 overs only produced 52 runs losing 6 wickets at 169, was sorry tale for Sagarmatha. Chasing 170 on a big stage always going to be tough and only consolation Laligurans could have was their batting strength. Once rain halted, Nabin Gurung (4) lost his wicket off Ruben Singh’s full toss delivery leaving Rajkumar. Sudhir Shrestha also lost his off stumps to a ferocious delivery from Aashish Shrestha hastily. The delivery of the innings-an inswinger pitched on good length, zipped off track to breach the stumps. Ashish Siwakoti (2) adjudged run-out as Laligurans dream chase had reality checked. Debutant Neil (8) failed to read sharp bounce from Shashi Keshari. Rajkumar Gurung led the spirited chase. The early struggle only boasted his determination. His timing and stroke play returned, which saw him driving crisply, lofting powerfully, sweeping timely and more importantly accumulating runs. His shots tapped perfection as he basked 2 effortless sixes off spinners. Raj Kumar continued his battle alone as wickets tumbled other end. Him and Ganesh DC met at precarious position of 4 for 69 and made sure the team could provide solid fight. Captain Ganesh DC led from the front batting sensibly for his 29. Assignment seemed too much as Ganesh departed 133 on board. Gunjan Shrestha, Rajmani and Ajay Kshatry headed to shade At 9 for 163 Laligurans were on the verge of defeat. However, Uddhav Chalise and Ujjwol Subedi took 7 required runs of 35th over to claim the victory. Sagarmatha’s pick of the bowler was Aashish Shrestha claiming 3 wickets. The beauty of these wickets was the varieties and pace he produced. During turbulent time, he bowled with maturity, aspiration and skills. His opponents had high praises for him. His raw talent surely will be an asset to Sagarmatha for a long haul. Abnish Nepal was another gifted protagonist in Sagarmatha’s camp with temperament and intensity required for game. Winner Laligurans must be jubilant as they enter finals. Their joyous chorus though has glimpses of cautious meekness as celebrated batting line up failed to live up to the hype. More than that, as a winner they need compactness with sharp bowling, efficient fielding and solid batting, basics Laligurans eluded quite often. Ajay Kshatry stands tall and proud as his wicket taking ability landed him leading wicket taker ladder. Laligurans anxiously waits for next Sundays’ game between Mirchi Lumbini and Myagdi United, one of which will enter the final frontier.

Myagdi United remains victorious in their quest for One Day Trophy in GNC Tournament. Beating Pacific College of Technology, they have kept their records clean. This final venture before the semis has established Myagdi as a strong contender to lift the Trophy along with Laligurans and Lumbini. Pacific College of Technology’s Captain Manoj Mandal invited Myagdi to bat first after winning the toss. Myagdi utilised this opportunity as a perfect batting practice before semis. Openers Manish Shrestha once again shined with polished 69 off 54 balls. With 13 fours, he smashed bowlers all around the ground. Dipendra Thapa accelerated the run rate with 28 just off 18 deliveries. Together they put 78 runs of partnership. Pacific college of Technology executed a very ordinary fielding display with countless dropped catches. Manish Shrestha got lucky few times, however his ominous form can not be undermined. His quest for runs and ability to hit boundaries has made him a stand out player among others. Dev Biswokarma was another gem on Myagdi’s winning crown. He played with authority and sound temperament hitting 59 runs off 73 deliveries. Captain Pradeep Panta failed to join the club departing just for 1. Myagdi’s flag was flying high on the back of massive runs piled up by top order. Myagdi set 257 runs target for Pacific College of Technology as only Manoj Mandal and Lokesh claimed 2 wickets each. Lowest total loss fresh in the memory, target was unlikely for Pacific College of Technology to achieve. With loss of both openers in quick succession once again the match was headed in one direction. However, Prabin Gautam played gem of the inning hitting 70 runs. He played calculative placing balls in gaps and culling 7 fours. Siddhartha Shrestha contributed 19 runs. Defending larger total, Myagdi’s bowlers dispense runs more often than not. As a result, Pacific College of Technology accumulated their highest total of 149 runs in the tournament. Prabin alone has shown Pacific’s batting calibre. It was little late for Pacific as all four teams for semis has been selected, closing their account on 149. Once again Dev Biswokarma was among achievers with 2 wickets. Dev was awarded man of the Match award for his all round performance. It was evident that Myagdi lacked bowling intensity, though it was enough for them to keep opponents at the bay. Even Bowlers like Manoj KC and Pradeep Panta could not claim wickets at their will. No doubt, stronger opponents will prove severe. There will be no room for second chance.

Lumbini has yet again obtained a perfect score against Sagarmatha beating them comprehensively. Sagar Khadka and Noor Thapa’s final wicket partnership has prevailed over Sagarmatha’s bowling. Needless to say that the victory against Nepcoms Laligurans has provided a sound platform for Lumbini to have a strategic format against much stronger opponents like Sagarmatha. Captain Dipendra Bhattarai elected to field firs, once won the toss. Opening pace attack duo Kiran Bhattarai and Ram Chandra bowled with probing line and length. Sagarmatha’s Rajendra Shrestha (1) found himself out of rhythm getting beaten outside off stumps one too many times. Govind Karki took a sharp catch off Kiran to brought Rajendra’s demise. However, Robin Tamrakar (24) and Atul Shrestha (11) pushed the score to 54 for the loss of 1 wicket in 14 overs. Therefore, with the searing heat of 33 degrees the option was trivial on Lumbini’s part. Sagarmatha’s fate changed as quickly as the weather dropping to 18 degrees. Sagar Khadka ruffled Sagarmatha’s middle order bringing the total to mercy. Atul played an untimely stroke to sky one off Sagar, where Govind swallowed it mid on. Robin Tamrakar lost his leg stumps playing the cherry in a wrong line for one of Sagar’s drifter. Captain Dipendra Bhattarai brought himself to bowl removing Aakash Bhattarai for 4 and Abnish Nepal for 2. From a strong position of 55 runs for 2, Sagarmatha seemed feeble with score board reading 80 for 6. With timely introduction of Ram Chandra in tandem with spinners yield further wickets for Lumbini, claiming the wickets of Sameer (1), Aashish (0) and Ruben Singh (1). Raghav showed great promises with his 8 not out. He remained calm under tough environment, the trait most of Sagarmatha’s batsmen lacked. However, Sagarmatha only managed 91 runs playing only 26 overs. Without experienced campaigners like Rajesh Dev Panta and Shashi Keshari, Sagarmatha lacked batting intensity and set game plan for victory. Lumbini did not miss the beat with Abhay Shrestha (11) and Govind Karki (14) build a good foundation to their run chase with 31 runs. Captain Ruben Singh opened the bowling, though he was far from his best. Experienced Abanish Nepal was opted by Ruben Singh to use new ball as opposed to young speedster Aashish Shrestha. The ploy worked well for Sagarmatha as Abnish removed both openers, just when they threatened to take the game away. Ram Chandra only managed 6 runs before running himself out. However, safe as house ‘Sagar Khadka’ led the way with 22 runs to guide the victory for Lumbini in just over 17 overs. Noor Thapa also showed his prowess with 6 off the very first ball, with the tally of 22 runs just off 19 deliveries. Where Sagar steadied the ship, Noor excelled it. Man of the Match was awarded to Sagar for his fine display with both batting and bowling. It appeared that bowling changes was working in the favour of Lumbini. A slump in bowling form has revealed poor stats for Govind karki in the past few games. His contribution holds significant meaning for Lumbini; no doubt his performance will be closely monitored as the game hits its final destination.

The victory song is echoing loud and clear in Mirchi Lumbini’s Camp after claiming the victory against rival Nepcoms Laligurans. A much anticipated match of GNC tournament; Lumbini comprehensively gained the upper hand. Winning the toss, Captain Arjen Aryal opted to bat. Openers Nabin Gurung and Ashish Siwakoti briefly gave the start Laligurans dreamed of. Nabin hit a massive six off Ketan Pokharel in the fourth ball he faced. However, Nabin’s fiery start was scuffed by Kiran Bhattarai’s icy deliveries. Nabin’s start was as brisk as it was brief. His early departure was expensive to Laligurans total game strategy. Sudhir Shrestha- a shy genius in many innings for Laligurans failed to cheer the crowd adding only 3 runs to the total. Lumbini’s Kiran Bhattarai must bucketed praises to produce deliveries to remove quality players like Nabin and Sudhir cheaply. If the early departure of top batting duo was harsh reality for Laligurans; what followed was catastrophic. Sagar Khadka spurred his magic claiming 3 wickets sparing a single run in the middle overs. Raj Kumar Gurung (0), Arjen Aryal (0) and Ganesh DC (0) all lost the plot as pressure mounted. On the other hand; Sagar showed why he is one of the sought players in this tournament snatching Man of the Match award as well. Captain Dipendra Bhattarai removed Ajay Chettri for nought. Misery stricken Laligurans was 6 for 44 runs in their 10th overs. This calamity drifted Laligurans to “Black Hole” where the light of victory was s nowhere to be seen. Ashish was a silver lining in Laligurans’ inning with poised 30 off 29 balls. With 5 fours and a six; Ashish provided a much needed answer to fast bowlers. Facing new ball; he set the tone for the inning, which other key players left in their bags. However, his nerve got better off him, when he misjudged the ball from Sagar Khadka. Uddhav Chalise showed his formidable batting strength down the order with 23 runs just off 12 deliveries. Dipendra Bhattarai bowled skillfully with the mindset like a true ‘poacher’. With minimal total on the board, Laligurans’ lower batting line up was prepared to throw the bats. Pressure mounting on the crease; playing long haul was a distant reality. Dipendra bowled with flight and drift to claim 4 wickets to limit Laligurans for 109 runs. Once again Abhay Shrestha gave a strong start to Lumbini with polished 35 runs off 60 balls. Along with Govind karki, Abhay played with sound technique and temperament. Govind played with controlled aggression to contribute valuable 38 runs. Both openers were quick to dispatch the bad deliveries accumulating runs to off the pressure. They put the partnership of 80 runs for the first wicket. Ajay Chettri bowled well removing both Lumbini’s openers. He also removed Ketan Pokharel in the very first delivery for naught. Sagar Khadka (0) and Dipendra Bhattrai (0) was stumbled out in the successive deliveries by Rajkumar Gurung opting for his second ‘Hat Trick’ of the tournament. However, Noor Thapa and Ram Chalise put the final nail in the coffin for Lumbini proclaiming the victory. Full credit goes to Lumbini for their outstanding performance. Laligurans lost the way fighting with nerves. It will be a huge mental challenge for Laligurans to claim the glory against Lumbini. On contrary, Lumbini has gained a moral boost to fuel the momentum.

Intouch Sagarmatha displayed a strong bowling show to steal the match against Pacific College. Batting first, Pacific College slummed to the total of only 28 runs against Intouch Sagarmatha. Their lowest total is also the least runs achieved by any teams in the GNC Cup competition. Captain Ruben Singh provoked the collapse in Pacific’s inning by bowling superbly. Ruben tormented batsmen with swing and sudden bounce off the track, culling 7 wickets only shading 15 runs. On the back of his injury, Ruben Singh’s newly found stardom has pushed Sagarmatha’s credentials much higher than anticipated earlier. Few weeks back, it was the same team, which was struggling to afloat in the tournament. Ruben Singh’s captaincy has sparked fuel to propel the team as a contender for the trophy. Leading from the front; Ruben Singh alone has crushed any hope for win. Abanish Nepal also claimed 2 quick wickets to finish off Pacific’s inning. There was very little to cheer about Pacific’s batting as 6 batsmen even could not contribute a run with the wood. Jatin was the only batsman who had double digit figure with 10 not out. Once again; Pacific college looked out of place in the competition with their dismal performance. Chasing paltry 29 runs for victory in 35 overs; openers Atul Shrestha (12) and Robin Tamrakar (13) managed it without any trouble. Bottom line Sagarmatha claimed the victory with 10 wickets in 9th overs. Man of the Match Ruben Singh has provided the guidance and enthusiasm that Sagarmatha has lacked throughout the GNC Tournament. With players like Sagar Khadka and Abhay Shrestha Lumbini has promised a lot. Sagarmatha is also standing firm as key talents like Robin Tamrakar and Ruben Singh playing like champions. Strong unit as Myagdi United has proven records, whereas, Laligurans has all the right reasons to lift the trophy even in Captain Arjen Aryal’s absence. GNC finals have promised super matches against teams with talented bunch of passionate cricketers.

Intouch Sagarmatha has kept their contendency in the GNC One Day series by defeating Send paisa Kuleswor in a crucial match. This match was vital for both the teams to book the place in the semis. To jump the hurdle; Sagarmatha had reconstructed the team, where Ruben Singh was appointed as Captain. This reshuffle has allowed Aakash Bhattarai to end his modest tournament. Winning the toss Sagarmatha opted to bat second. Under new captaincy; Ruben singh led the team with calm and determination. His leadership prevailed positively as bowlers responded to the occassion. Chasing modest total of 134 at the rate of 3.85 runs per over was no consolattion forSagarmatha as opener Rajendra Shrestha sacrificed his wicket on nought. Biswo Shrestha bowled quick and straight uprooting Rajendra shrestha's wickets only in 3 deliveries. He also ended shashi Keshari's stay at the crease bowling him over just for 1. This sparked a fear of collapse in Sagrmatha's camp till Aakash Bhattarai (36) paired up with Robin Tamrakar (55). Against all the odds both Robin and Aaksh played superbly to lead Sagarmatha to victory. Robin's inning was filled with both exciting strokes and patient singles. He displayed sense of character required to play long inning leaving many deliveries. He excelled scoring with 5 fours and 3 sixes. Robin was quick to judge the length of balls, executing cuts and pulls to score square of the wickets. He nourished his balance sheet punishing loose deliveries scoring 55 runs just off 60 balls claiming Man of the Match award. Aaksh also stroked fine boundaries supporting Robin with sensible calls. Patnership of 59 runs between the pair rejuvenated the chase. Robin closed his fine knock when Shekar took the catch off Pursottam. Later, Sameer Shrestha joined forces with Aakash scoring swiftly 20 off 18 balls crushing Kuleswor. Kuleswor started their inning steadily. However, Sagarmatha never let them to build the partnership. Kuleswor's opener Balram exhibited some resistance against some fine bowling from Sagarmatha with 24 runs in 45 balls. Captain Pursottam Bista battling leg strain offered little resistance bowled by Anil Amataya's straighter only 5 runs to his name. Kuleswor middle order batting duo Surjan Thapa (10) and Niraj Jamuwal(10) got off to a good start. Surjan Thapa played well for his 10 with singles and twos. Niraj's inning comprised a boundary and six. Both batsmen failed to offer partneship playing false shot to the balls with variable bounces. Ajay played anchoring inning for Kuleswor strucking fine 31 not out off 30 balls. Batting at no.8, Ajay's contribution was far fetched for a winning total for batting strength of sagarmatha. Anil Amatya bowled with ziff and variation in length got rewarded with 2 wickets. Sagarmatha showed their credetials in this competition by using both spinners and pace attack at vital phase. Experienced Capmingner Rajendra Shrestha bowled well bagging 3 important wickets. Raw speedser Ashish Shrestha strangled Kuleswor's inning with paltry 134 runs taking 2 final wickets. This victory has provided Sagarmatha with sense of comfort and sense of self beleif. Content Captain Ruben Singh's performance focussed attitude has spured the magic of accountability and beleif in the capm. Where Sagarmatha has revitalised their moral, Kuleswor is facing deep crisis with consecutive loses. To brew winning strategy Captain Pursottam Bista and co must answer the call carving their group mentality into team effort.

Myagdi United continued its fine form winning against Group Colleges Of Australia at Centenary Park, Croydon. A sure starter in the forth-coming semis of GNC One Dayers; the match was just a formality for Myagdi. However GCA has hinted to be a sound opponent on various occassions. Therefore; it was imperative for Myagdi to play with full strength. Batting first Myagdi’s usual ‘super collabration’ of batting, bowling and fielding was missing. Opening the batting for Myagdi Captain Pradeep Panta (17) and Manish Shrestha (19) put on 30 runs for the first wicket. Manish’s ‘midas touch’ with bat ended by a quick yorker of Kashif. Pawan Chhettri (3) and Dev’s (4) failed to lift the inning for Myagdi. At the score of 56 for 4, Suraj Bariyait and Deependra Thapa answered well to GCA’s attack. Suraj Bariyait scored 40 valuable runs. With 4 fours and six, Suraj was quick to loft and cut. It was crucial in the context as it provided support for Deependra to play with freedom. Deependra contributed 26 runs taking the tally of 113 runs. This partnership of 57 runs turned out to be pivotal for Mygadi’s total. Kashif proved to be a chief tormentor for Myagdi bagging 4 wickets closely followded by Raju Niraula with 3 wickets. Regular wicket falls in Myagdi’s inning prevented them to accumulate a big total finishing with 145 runs only. Lack lusctre batting display in GCA saw them struglling for runs. There was very little to cheer about GCA’s batting as batsmen found hard to cruise. Deepak Niraula (11) tried to move the score board briefly early in the innings. Abdul was only batsman who played with some conviction hitting 27 runs. Captain Raju Niraula (14) lacked support in the middle orders as none of batsmen scored in double digit. Both Manish KC and Pradeep Panta bowled accurately restricting runs. Nerve came into play when batsmen failed to score at will. This saw 3 run outs in GCA’s inning. The loss was imminent though target was fairly achievable. At the end; Myagdi’s strength was too much for GCA to overcome bailing out only for 80 runs. This win has given a practice run for Myagdi United for up coming matches. For GCA; it was reality domain to confront their ghost. They must play their superlative cricket against opponents like Myagdi, Laligurans, Sagarmatha and Lumbini just to make their presence felt. Recent matches had seen some emerging players in GCA camp as well. However, as a unit its strength is par below.

As reported, there has been a major change in Intouch Sagarmatha captaincy role. Due to Akash Bhattarai's unfit health, Manager Ruben Singh have stepped up as a captain of Intouch Sagarmatha. Intouch sagarmatha have 3 more games remaining in league round. Captain Ruben Singh hopes to lead Intouch Sagarmatha to semi after this major change. Intouch Sagarmatha stands 6th in the points table.

Intouch Sagarmatha’s frugal performance continues after beaten comprehensively by much stronger nemesis Myagdi United at Centenary Park Croydon. Myagdi continues its impressive run which saw them lifting GNC T20 Cup earlier this season. The loss has pushed Sagarmatha further down the table and now requires competing fiercely to win the remaining matches. Jubilant Myagdi is sure starter in the semis. Myagdi United elected to bat after winning the Toss. Captain Pradeep Panta’s decision to bat first was resurrected by Manish Shrestha’s luminous form with 73 runs. Pradeep Panta was caught and bowled beautifully by Ruben Singh in the first over just for 1. Manish Shrestha, on the hand was simply superb. He smashed Ruben Singh for 20 runs in his second over stamping his arrival. Clearly, Sagarmatha failed to do their homework against Manish who was pick of the player with his 53 in their T20 outing. He was quick to pick the length of balls smashing 14 boundaries culling at the strike rate of 160, amassing more runs than all other of his colleagues. Sagarmatha had a dream start, however Manish Shrestha played gem of an inning to spoil the party. Abnish Nepal who shared the new ball with Ruben bowled cleverly mixing the paces. Batsmen struggled on the pitch with variable bounces. Abnish used these conditions in his favour to capture the wickets of Dev KC (0), Pawan Chhetri (0) and Suraj Bariyait (8) in his 3 consecutive overs. Manish went strength to strength to keep the scoreboard moving while wickets tumbled other end. It was not until Shashi Keshari fired one to get through the sticks ending his innings. 95 runs for 5 wickets in 15 overs, Myagdi had every opportunity to create a massive total. Myagdi’s post order tormentor Dipendra Thapa played a little cameo for his 41. He hit 3 consecutive sixes off Shashi Keshari’s sixth over. He gave opponents to dwell on something. Myagdi’s lower order batsmen were unable to stand heat heading to shade without adding single run from bat. Shashi Keshari was the chief destroyer during this phase claiming 4 wickets. Myagdi posed competitive total of 151 runs. Sagarmatha needed a stable partnership early in the innings to make a feast of their run chase. However, bowler Manoj KC bowled cleverly to draw the batsmen into the shot. Suraj Malakar (0) and Shashi Keshari (1) both caught exactly in the same fashion at square of the wicket by Suraj Bariyait off Manoj. He also trapped Sameer Shrestha for LBW the very first ball contending for possible Hat Trick. Sagarmatha was in dire stairs at 3 for 9 runs in just 3 overs. Rajendra Shrestha was the only batsman on the top of the order to sustain pressure. However his innings of laboured 15 runs was far from conviction. Robin Tamrakar (9) showed promises however poor running between the wicket cost him the wicket, as Captain Pradeep Panta knuckled the stumps down. A much powerful performance was shown by Sagarmatha’s lower order, where Abnish Nepal (16) played steady inning, rotating the strike. Other end Anil Maskay accelerated the run rate with 3 massive sixes and a boundary in his 25 runs. As he departed, Sagarmatha was still chasing 61 runs with only 3 wickets in 11 overs. Manoj KC once again provided a vital breakthrough claiming the wicket of Abnish Nepal to suffocate Sagarmatha’s run chase. The broken link was key point in the match that made Manoj KC Man of the Match. Raghav Shrestha continued smoothly to accumulate 17 valuable runs with Aashish Shrestha (11). However, the inning demanded swift scoring. At the end, too much was left for down the order. Too little too late as Myagdi United strangled Sagarmatha only for 121 runs claiming the victory. Myagdi, once again has proved their supremacy and as why they deserve a special attention in this tournament

One of the much anticipated matches in the tournament it was hard to predict. The game also had many twists and turn, however, energetic Mirchi Lumbini got better off experienced Send Paisa Kuleswor at Lees Park on Sunday. Captain Pursottam Bista called for batting as Kuleswor won the toss. Openers Saroj (14) and Balram (5) paced the inning steadily. Balram’s departure brought Pursottam on the crease. As an experienced campaigner, Pursottam Bista was well aware of need of knock required. He played beautifully driving, cutting and pulling. With a boundary and two polished sixes he culled 52 runs only in 51 balls. He momentarily gave a fright to all the bowlers to dismantle their length and line. He was only batsman in Kuleswor camp to anchor the inning and pile runs. Niraj Jamuwal (15) also tried to resurrect Kuleswor’s inning in late stages, though the inning was close to end. Kuleswor’s total would have been dismal as only 102 runs came off bats. However, Lumbini’s poor bowling lifted their score to 176, which was highly competitive if not the winning total. Lumbini could have paid a hefty price for their unruly bowling, choking76 runs as sundries. If Lumbini had any chance to breathe life in their run chase; someone had to play a big inning. And that’s exactly what Abhay Shrestha did. Opening the batting Abhay played sensibly scoring ones and twos earlier. Thanks to Abhay, who was more of accumulator than aggressor. He answered the s.o.s. call for Lumbini’s inning. He stood tall with Pursottam Bista scoring 50 just off 53 deliveries justifying his spot at the top of the order and well earned Man of the Match. On the other end Govind tried to lift the tempo scoring 13 off 9 runs losing sticks to Bishwo’s quicker delivery. Bishow also tricked Noor Thapa taking comfortable catch of his own bowling. Captain Dipendra steady the inning with 16 off 21 deliveries. Pursottam Bista bowling his fourth over suffered cramp in his legs ending his presence as the most economical bowler. Kuleswor’s lack of bowling intensity and indolent fielding started drifting the match towards Lumbini’s side. Sagar Khadka took advantage of lack lustre attack stealing 25 valuable runs. Niraj Jamuwal bowled effectively claiming 3 wickets. During the crucial phase of the game Safal broke the shackles once again smashing 2 boundaries and a super six. Boundary fieldsman left an easy catch from Safal crediting six runs to the total. It was these moments when experienced Kuleswor fluff their chances with amateurish show off. Defending large total of 176 Kuleswor failed to rise to the occasion. On the other hand; Lumbini truly canvassed their chances with patience and determination. Abhay Shrestha, Sagar Khadka and Dipendra proved to be Key Players in Lumbini’s win strengthening their credibility. A well earned win for Lumbini must have lifted their moral; however they must work out their bowling strategy if they sustain their run in the tournament. Quality players like Sagar Khadka, Govind, Dipendra and Kiran must set their radar correct. Dejected Kuleswor must face their own demon playing sloppy cricket. With abundance of experience, performance was a far cry. Field placing and urgency was lacking in Kuleswor inning. They must put their head together before the next game to make their presence.

Both GCA and Mirchi Lumbini were prepared to prove their credentials as GNC One dayers approaching its final stages. GNC Super Sixes runner-up Mirchi Lumbini has proven track record to rise on the big occasion. GCA also has sharpened its skills over past few games. Toss winner GCA opted to field first. Rain affected morning, GCA’s captain Raju Niraula sensed their might be something for his seamers. His sense prevailed, as opening bowling pairs Rajendra and Sunil swung the ball beautifully. Lumbini’s opening pair Abhay and Govind found hard to gain any momentum. Rajendra Lekhak bowled comprehensively to take Govind’s wicket for nought. Abhay tried to unsettle bowlers smashing huge six off Rajendra. However, the success was pre-mature as Sunil Budathoki up-rooted his stumps just for 13. GCA’s fortune continued when Sunil removed Lumbini’s Captain Dipendra for 1. With the score of 3 for 49 runs in 9 overs; GCA looked well and truly on top. As top order toppled; Lumbini’s middle order was left to build the innings. After Dipendra’s early exit; Sagar Khadka took guard. Sagar Khadka displayed arrays of shots to keep score board ticking. His innings grew as GCA started to chase the leather more often than not. Taking quick singles and converting them in to twos; Sagar continued to frustrate the bowlers. It was quite contrasting opposed to frantic start Lumbini had. Sagar miscued the cherry from Saroj Khatiwada handing a simple catch to Janak Humagain on his way to 91. Sagar Khadka’s wicket proved very expensive for GCA as he thrashed bowlers all around the park, hitting 10 fours and 2 sixes to accumulate 91 runs just off 85 balls. . He momentarily emulates to be the second batsman to hit century in the very tournament where Nabin Gurung from Nepcoms Laligurans hold the record. Record aside, Sagar Khadka craftsmanship was simply superb on the day. Lumbini’s lower order struggle against the drift and bounce of the pitch proving much less productive, compiling 181 runs in 30 overs. GCA’s bowlers were off their radar one too many times yielding 50 fruitless runs as sundries. GCA needed to build the solid foundation if they were going to be competitive in their fight back. Openers Raju Niraula (9) and Saroj Budathoki (10) played watchfully. However, Saroj misjudged the run where Govind unsettle the stumps. Deepak Chowdhary played with patience for his 17. Even with the regular loss of wickets GCA was well on track with their run- rate. However, Captain Dipendra smother GCA‘s hope opting Sagar Khadka during the crucial phase Batting phenomenally earlier, the tale of success did not end for Sagar Khadka. Mixture of confidence and ability can be fatal for opponents in cricket and Sagar proved this with his fine bowling, snapping 3 consecutive wickets. This earned him Man of the Match on the day. With the collapse of middle orders; GCA’s lower order has little resistance. Final wicket for Lumbini came in 28th overs when Tulsi Thapa disassembled his own wicket, handing the glory. GCA was all out for 138 runs 44 short of victory. Victorious Lumbini prepares for yet another challenge as they are well aware every game is a new game and past glory is not the precedent for the future.

Nepcoms Laligurans was victorious against Pacific college in the preliminary round in convincing fashion. “Catches win the matches”. Rephrase the statement and we will find the answer for Pacific College’s defeat against Nepcoms Laligurans. The true difference in class was on display, as Nepcoms Laligurans racked up 155, and after a brief assault early in the chase Pacific College concentrated purely on batting out time. Winning the Toss, Captain Arjen Aryal opted for batting for Laligurans. It was the correct choice as Nabin Gurung produced some commanding boundaries combined with quick singles. Pacific College was not entirely outdone for the loss of toss as pitch has enough to shore up bowlers. Sumit Shrestha bowled with zip to be rewarded with Rajkumar Gurung’s wicket for nought. Sudhir Shrestha (16) joined Nabin Gurung (39) to steady the ship after early loss of wicket. Pacific College’s fielding was far below par as they missed an early chance to break through, when Nabin was put down at Deep Square, and grassed two further opportunities. If one batsman any teams should not allow such reprieves it has to be Nabin Gurung. It proved costly errors for Pacific College as Nabin began to expand his stroke- play. He took huge six off Lokesh Srivastav on the way to his 39. Sudhir Shrestha also produced glimpses of fine form hitting 2 fours square of the wicket. Rush of blood for hitting boundary brought Sudhir’s pre-mature end. He fell short of rope caught by Sumit Shrestha off Prabin Shrestha. Arjen Aryal took guard and batted with confidence. After last game’s dismal performance; Arjen Aryal was well prepared to take charge. In his innings of 41 Arjen was tested by bowlers with variations in length and line. Arjen hit 3 fours and 3 sixes in his cameo, where he was severe against short balls. Pacific College took hammering from both ends as both Nabin and Arjen scored freely. A slice of luck stuck Pacific College when Nabin Gurung found short of the mark, by the ball driven straight by Arjen, touched faintly by bowler Lokesh Srivastav on its way to the stumps. Nabin’s reflexes fall short. Disappointment was evident on Nabin’s face after settled so well for a big inning. Arjen polished inning got undone by Siddhartha Shrestha due to meagre shot selection. Ganesh was another pick of batsman scoring 22 off 29 balls in Laligurans total of 155. Pacific College did not have dream start due to the quality overs produced by Gunjan Shrestha and Arjen Aryal. Openers Saqib Bashir and Faizan Naveed tested with swing and pace. Where Gunjan displayed craft of swing and pace; Arjen asked batsmen constantly with his probing length. Arjen captured 1 wicket with 2 maidens in 4 overs spell earning him Man of the Match. Length was so probing that batsmen found it difficult to judge ground. Throughout the innings their batting had struggled to build on solid platforms and they exhausted another chance collapsing just for 54 runs in just 21st overs. In fact Saqib Bashir (13) and Rohit Ghatri (10) were the only two batsmen with double figures. Uddhav Chalise with 3 wickets in 5 overs was the pick of the bowlers for Laligurans flowed closely by Ujjwal Subedi with 2 wickets. Pacific College showed flawed in many fronts from fielding to batting. Their will to win wilted against Laligurans with harsh reality of quality cricket they needed to display.

The day GCA played superbly in all aspects of game, yet they finished short of victory against Send Paisa Kuleswor. Relatively young GCA had enthusiasm and raw energy on display while Kuleswor had maturity and controlled nerve on their side. A near perfect weather with plenty of sun and cool breeze was ideal for batting. Captain Pursottam Bista called for bat once the Toss was decided in his favour. It was a good toss to win for Kuleswor only if they had executed on the crease, on the other hand, GCA’s Captain Raju Niraula all the reason to smile as they bowled and field out of their skin. GCA’s bowlers were simply majestic with new ball. Early run out of Sumantu KC only fuelled upbeat GCA’s motives. Left arm seamer Rajendra Lekhak bowled brilliantly without much luck. His figure of 1 for 9 runs in 5 overs does not justify his performance. With natural angle created due to his left arm, swing and seam; he troubled most of Kuleswor’s top- order. Pursottam Bista (2) fell cheaply while trying to drive ticking inside edge. Gautam (4) followed the shade when Rajendra took sharp catch at the third slip of Sunil. With the score of 42 runs with 5 wickets down, Kuleswor needed a partnership desperately. Ajay Poudel (19) provided the much needed stability in the innings. He paired with Sanjeev Pradhan (13) to take the score to 62 for 6. Bowlers bowling an impeccable line and length; Kuleswor incurred the drought of runs. Dhawal Patel and Janak Humagain claimed 2 and 3 wickets respectively to close Kuleswor innings with petty 97 runs in only 27 overs. Victory looming in the horizon, GCA needed to score under 3 runs per over. However, GCA’s batsmen were well aware of Kuleswor’s strength. Captain Pursottam Bista led his team to set a mind setting for a fight back. Opening batting pair of Deepak Niraula (2) and Kashiv (2) was troubled by Biswa Shrestha and Pursottam Bista. Seam movements were so prominent that batsmen were finding it difficult to connect it. Kuleswor’s bowlers took disciplined bowling approach with variation. Once Raju Niraula (6) and Deepak Chaudhary (2) lost their wickets, GCA shared the similar fate at 46 for 5. Dhaval Patel defied the odds playing aggressively. He punished Kuleswor’s bowlers with 2 boundaries and a six in his 23 just off 28 deliveries. Just when he was threatening to take the match away, he skied one from Shekhar Aryal which Biswa Shrestha took simple catch to end his innings. Only needing 32 runs in 15 overs with 4 wickets; GCA had every opportunity to be optimistic, especially the ‘dark horse’ Prakash Shrestha in the middle. His 29 n/o was the innings full of resilience, patience and sheer determination. He single headedly drew the momentum towards GCA’s plight. His gritty inning consumed 67 deliveries to ignite the fight back, though he could not complete the equation in GCA favours. Batsmen fell in trap set by Kuleswor. Prakash watched wickets tumbling one after another helplessly from the other end. As a strategy, Captain Pursottam Bista’s shrewdness to use his spinners as baits luring batsmen. GCA’s Batsmen fell for slow bowling trying to score easy runs resulting in catches. At 90 for 9, game was hung in the balance. It was nerve wrecking for both teams trying to claim upper hand. The margin for error was slim. At the very crucial moment of the match batsman Sunil Budathoki had lapsed of judgement, when he wondered outside his crease. In 29th over, a wide delivery from Pursottam Bista which, keeper Gautam Karki gathered and threw to unsettle the stumps claimed the final wicket for Kuleswor. From such a strong position to lose the match; GCA left to gather the pieces of glory. Man of the Match Ajay Poudel with his contribution of 19 runs and 2 wickets played the vital role in Kuleswor’s victory.

Rain hail or shine, the show must go on. That’s precisely what happened as morning storm threatened to stop the game.  25 overs was granted each side once the game underway.
A great game of attritional cricket on a pitch with a bit of life in it saw Nepcoms Laligurans prevail over Intouch Sagarmatha on Sunday, successfully chasing 109, but only by 4 wickets. After Laligurans’ bowlers had done their bit, restricting Sagarmatha to only 108, their batsmen needed to bat with diligence, instead, they played poor cricket, and as Sagarmatha fought tooth and nail, a game that should have been won on the gallop turned into a nailbiter.
Credit to Rajmani Dhakal’s ‘man of the match’ effort; Laligurans thrilled the crowd with narrow win. His sensible cricket and quick running between the wickets provided much needed performance once key players gave in.
An under-strengthen Sagarmatha with captain Aakash Bhattarai was sidelined due to dislocated leg bone; was led by Rajesh Panta. Once Sagarmatha elected to bat; it was evident that bowlers will shine on the day. Gunjan Shrestha bowled the new ball consistently swinging at lively pace. Opening pair Rajendra Shrestha (18) and Suraj Malakar (21) dogged in the middle for reasonable start. However, the glory was well and truly missing from Sagarmatha’s innings as they tumbled for 108 runs.
Chasing only 4.32 runs per over, Laligurans had an easy one. Nabin Gurung set his eye with a boundary as he smashed ball by Ruben Singh. However, Ruben took his revenge claiming Nabin’s wicket. A complaisant mind- set saw Laligurans loosing wickets in regular intervals. Sudhir Shrestha was involved in a suicidal run, and found well short of the crease when Shashi Keshari picked the ball up inside the circle and thrashed the wicket to affect an easy run out.
Rajkumar Gurung sacrificed his wicket to mischievous run out, as he found himself with Ashish Siwakoti at keeper’s end. Score of 3 for 22 runs for Laligurans let Sagarmatha breather of hope to defend their total. Ashish Siwakoti (33) and Ganesh DC (13) anchored the innings. As Ganesh edged Shashi Keshari’s off spinning cherry. Captain Arjen Aryal missed the top spinning delivery from Shashi to lose his stumps.   The very next over Gunjan Shrestha was smartly caught on mid on by Ashish Shrestha as he played slightly inside the line of a ball from Anil Amatya, Laligurans were in trouble at 5 for 64.
All specialist batsmen on shade, Laligurans only hope for miracle. Rajmani Dhakal (22) started his innings cautiously along side of Ajay Chhetri. With 5 singles in 13 balls; Rajmani showed how to bat to his predecessors. He smashed a huge six off Anil Amatya. It was confidence boosting shot that made the crowd highly voluble. As innings wore, Rajmani hit boundaries to race Laligurans to winning position.
There were moments of fair play and sportsmanship in the game when players collided. Rather claiming wickets; players opted for batsman to play. This provided that game is competed in true spirit.
During the presentation; Rajmani also acknowledged Sagarmatha’s fair play and said “being under the pump brought the best out of me”.

The one day match between Send Paisa Kuleswor and Nepcoms Laligurans was a classic one day mode today. The stage was set for Nepcoms Laligurans’ batting wizard Nabin Gurung to display the sort of innings that he often played to illuminate the venue. Instead, it was bowler Ajay Chhetri, who basked in the late-afternoon sunshine with a great spell of leg spin bowling, taking 5 wickets changing the complexion of the game.
Send Paisa Kuleswor elected to bat after winning the toss setting the target of 154 runs losing all the wickets just in 33 overs. Nepcoms Laligurans reached the target comfortably in 26th overs with 5 wickets.
Nepcoms Laligurans’ win looked relatively easy though they had early hiccups losing Nabin Gurung only for 7 runs. However, Sudhir Shrestha (30) played key inning to lead for victory. Early in his innings, he watched and defended carefully, leaving balls at will. He worked his way back into form with glimpses of his brilliance with caressing boundaries and with a huge six over midwicket off Bhavesh Shah. Sudhir’s 30 runs may not look huge contribution, though it was crucial in the context of the game. Rajkumar Gurung supported well at the other end contributing 21 valuable runs.
Ganesh D.C’s composed inning of 52 not out with 7 fours and a six, Ganesh set the pace for the victory for Laligurans. Where Sudhir paved the way, Ganesh capitalise on opportunity to take advantage of Kuleswor’s inept bowling attack. Ganesh mostly scored off flicking swayed balls off the sticks.
Kuleswor’s openers Sanjeev Pradhan (0) and Saroj Shrestha (3) were undone by new ball spells. Kuleswor Captain Pursottam Bista and Gautam Karki rebuild their innings to 124 runs in 24th overs. With 88 runs of partnership, Laligurans looked like to chase well over 200 runs for the victory. The key moments came in the passage of play when Captain Pursottam Bista (74)   and Gautam Karki (28) were dismissed in quick succession. Pursottam Bista, the outstanding player of the series, played good cricket playing every balls in its merit. He was ruthless on the slightest bowling transgressions, driving, flicking off the pads and cutting with precision outside the off stumps.
Gautam Karki lost his middle stumps by Raj Kumar’s effort ball. Trying to lift the tempo; Pursottam Bista tri smashed leg breaker from Ajay, just to hold out at mid on by Rajmani. From 126 for 4; Kuleswor stumbled out for 154 runs credit to clever field placing and positive spells from Rajmani Dhakal.  
Man of the Match was awarded to Ajay Chhetri for his 5 wickets haul. Visibly ecstatic Ajay credited his performance to his team mates.

Winning the toss, GCA Captain Raju Niraula invited Laligurans to bat with smile. Little he knew the fate waited. With par baked pitch and luscious trimmed grass on fine day, batting was ideal. Nabin took full advantage of conditions and played freely. He smashed a huge Six of Rajendra Lekhak in the first over, announcing his arrival. Nabin punished anything short of the pitch pulling to the midwicket and square leg region. As bowlers corrected their length and tried to pitch up he drove beautifully. Pitch had enough pace such that ball was coming nicely on the bat. Nabin smashed his way through first ever Century in 64 balls.
In his first ever century, he was anything but rusty. As the innings wore on from there he increasingly lashed out. Everything seemed screaming out the middle of the bat, and on such a pitch with small boundaries the effects were overwhelming. Nabin played with strength and class. Driving, Pulling and punching, his innings was beauty in solitude. Composed and technique savvy, Nabin has proven a living nightmare for any bowlers.
At times bowlers left with no answers as batsman piled runs exponentially. Rajkumar Gurung (38) supported well. The pair showed the urgency running between the wickets. Ganesh DC fell for 14 as he tried to lift the run rate. With the score of 177 for 2 wickets, Captain Arjen Aryal would not have better time to bring himself. The stylish left hander played unfazed by Nabin’s glory smashing 88 runs of 48 balls. He score included 5 massive sixes and 5 boundaries. Ashish Siwakoti also quick fired adding 35 runs to the tally. His scores contained boundaries in majority. Even though, GCA managed few quick late wickets, Laligurans had already amassed 338 runs. This is the highest total in GNC Cup One Day tournament so far.
Raju Niraula with 3 wickets was GCA’s best performed bowler. Rajendra, Dhaval and Janak each took 2 wickets for GCA.
Walking to the pitch overlooking scoreboard reading 339 was daunting for GCA’s batsman. Captain Arjen Aryal was well aware of the psychological boost. Laligurans’ bowlers have plenty of opportunities to experiment. Gunjan Shrestha and Ujjwol both extracted an extra bounce off the pitch with pace. Game only took one direction as Gunjan and Rajmani tore through the top order batsman. Only two batsmen reached the double figure from GCA wrapping their inning 89 runs. This tells the sorry story as GCA was outperformed by Laligurans in every facets of the game.
Man of the Match was awarded to Nabin Gurung. Jubilant Nepcoms Laligurans are building the momentum. Captain Arjen Aryal said “…..though this victory provide us a great platform for next game, we can not be complacent. Every game is different and we gotta be ready.” As for my question for his Century Nabin quoted “….very satisfying and happy. As a player you want to perform and contribute winning…”
If there is any consolation for GCA, it would be a learning paradigm from great performing individuals and teams. There is no doubt in saying that Laligurans is blessed with good cricketers and balanced team, who have achieved tremendous success as a unit.

After last week’s demoralising defeat, Myagdi United needed a raving performance and that’s what precisely they did. Taking advantage of the weather, Myagdi’s skipper Pradeep Panta elected to bat winning the toss. Batsmen were well aware to make most of their opportunities. Manish Shrestha (29) provided a composed start. Captain Pradeep Panta joined him with early dismissal of Pawan Chhetri on 1. The pair took the run tally to 39 before Kuleswor’s Pursottam Bista bowled him on personal score of 15.
On hot and humid condition, both teams had disciplined approach. Both Pursottam and Bishow bowled with zip and pace. Kuleswor would have to chase a much smaller target if it was not Suraj Bariyait’s solid 49 runs contribution. He hit 7 fours and a towering six. Suraj was technically composed and compact against the attack. Once the ball lost its shine, sun started to flow. Dinesh (18) and Suraj took the score to 117 in 18th overs. On the prospect of making a huge target, Myagdi United needed someone to quick fire. This came in form of Bishnu Bhandari and Manoj KC for them. Bishnu posted 20 not out consuming only 22 balls. Manoj took only 14 balls for his 16 runs. Despite Ajay Paudel’s 3 wickets Myagdi posted staggering 198 runs.
Needing close to 6 runs per over, Saroj Shrestha smashed Six the very first ball from Myagdi’s Manoj KC. Both Saroj Shrestha (13) and Balram Bista (19) tried to keep the scoreboard ticking. However the score of 54 for 3 appeared less convincing. Balram’s departure brought Captain Pursottam Bista to the crease. Kuleswor needed an epic inning from their captain, if they wanted the upper hand in the game. Pursottam did not disappoint them. He played courageously with 46 not out. His score included 5 fours and a six. Kuleswor lower order batsman fail to prevail as Bishnu Bhandari took sucked life out of their run chase. Quality batsman like Surjan Thapa and Niraj Jamuwal (10) failed to make their mark as Kuleswor was reeling on 148 for 8. In addition to his crafty 20 runs earlier, Bishnu took 5 wickets in just 3.3 overs shading only 14 runs. On the day when Myagdi united needed a win he was their saviour. He bowled swift and accurate. His jubilant performance credited him Man of The Match.
Kuleswor’s vast cricketing experience was not enough for them to save the day as Myagdi United join the forces to prove there is lot to fight for in the competition.