Kathmandu wins Nepal's national title

Kathmandu is Nepal's national champion following its four wicket win over Kapilvastu in the final of the Jaya Trophy inter-district tournament earlier this month.

A crowd of 10,000 saw a match dominated by batting with co-Man-of-the-Match, Panesh Lohani, leading the Kathmandu assault on Kapilvastu's first-up total of 242 all-out with a chanceless 111 not out.

Lohani's innings provided the basis of the Kathmandu onslaught, receiving support from Prafulla Vaidya (29) and Manish Shrestha (23). Basant Regmi was the pick of the Kapilvastu attack, snaring two wickets, while Raju Khadka and Bijaya Yadav took one each.

Khadka had set the pace for the run feast, clinching a share of the Man-of-the-Match award with a breezy 102.

His innings, with a support role by Sanjeev Joshi (54), seemingly had Kapilvastu ready to set Kathmandu a target it couldn't match.

Pace duo Kiran Rana (four wickets) and Vaidya (two), not only halted the run-flow, but gutted the Kapilvastu middle-order restricting it to under five runs per-over in its allotted 50 overs.

Katmandu had marched into the final by eliminating defending champion Bara in the semi-final two days earlier thanks to a devastating seven-wicket haul from the pacey Rajesh Pant.

On the same day, Kapilvastu continued its advance all the way from the preliminary round, fending off Saptari by a seven run margin.

Bara melted after winning the toss and electing to bat under the heat imposed by Pant. Only Binod Das, a Jaya Trophy hero last year, and Sanjay Regmi (27) withstood Pant's destruction, lifting Bara to 125 all-out in 33 overs.

National player, Das, winner of the tournament's Best Bowler award, showed his all-round quality by striking 60 from 75 balls.

Kathmandu made a 1995 Sri Lankan style start to the chase, setting up a comfortable six wicket win, attaining the required 126 runs in just 26 overs.

Sandeep Shrestha set the tempo scoring 39 with a 100% strike rate while Buddhiram Tamang (25) and Monish Shrestha (19) saw Kathmandu close to victory.

Pant's deadly spell earned him the Man-of-the-Match title.

What the margin of Kathmandu's semi-final win lacked in spectator interest, was completedly contrasted by Kapilvastu's seven run fend-off of Saptari in the other.

Man-of-the-Match, Sanjeev Joshi, proved the difference for Kapilvastu, smoting the second century of the tournament with 11 fours and a six in the 145 ball innings.

Sunil Raut (54) and Deepedra Chaudhary (36) formed the basis of the Saptari reply, however a disciplined fielding and bowling effort from Kapilvastu proved enough.

Chaudhary snared the Man-of-the-Series award following three 50s and an all-rounder's performance in Saptari's opening three wicket Group D round-robin win over Chitwan.

Binod Triphaty (Kapilvastu)(Best Batsman)and Kush Gurung(Chitwan)(Best All-Rounder) snared the other major individual awards.

Bara later won the third-place play-off against Saptari, winning by four wickets. Jitendra Yadav (Bara) took the Man-of-the-Match award.

The following are basic group tables:
Group A: Bara 6pts; Banke 4pts; Kaski 2pts; Kailali 0pts
Group B: Kapilvastu 6pts; Morang 4pts; Sunsari 2pts; Lalitpur 0 pts
Group C: Kathmandu 6pts; Mahottari 2pts; Jhapa 2pts; Rupandehi 2pts
Group D: Saptari 6pts; Chitwan 4pts; Parsa 2pts; Dhanusa 0pts