ICC suspends Rahul, Sagar

BY UJJWAL ACHARYA

KATHMANDU, March 31 – International Cricket Council (ICC) has prohibited selection of two Nepali under-19 bowlers in any national team due to their suspect bowling action, a senior cricket official confirmed on Monday.

“ICC mailed us reporting the suspect action of Sagar Khadka and Rahul Biswokarma,” Tanka Paneru, the general secretary of Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) informed. The ICC has directed CAN not to select them without ensuring remedial works. The ICC letter reads: “Please ensure that the analysis and any remedial work are carried out on these bowlers prior to any further selection as a bowler to any of your national team.”

The two spinners from Region No 4 Bhairahawa were part of the Nepali team that reached the plate final of the Youth World Cup held in Malaysia in February. As a key player of the team, Rahul took 10 wickets and scored 51 runs in six matches while Sagar took two wickets and scored 47 runs in as many matches.

“I have not been informed about this,” Rahul, considered a promising player, said over telephone. “I don’t think my bowling action is suspicious and if there is any doubt, I can improve on that.”

According to Paneru, CAN will decide on further steps only after the ongoing Springwood National League Cricket Tournament. This also means that both reported players, playing for their regional team in the national league, can continue playing in the event.

Nepal is scheduled to play two important international events this year – the World Cricket League Division 5 in May in Jersey and the ACC Elite Trophy in July. Both can not be considered for the selection of these events. The players reported for suspect action have to go through the action correction and can play again only after scientific analysis of the improved bowling action is found to be okay.

Pramod makes impressive comeback

THE KATHMANDU POST REPORT

KATHMANDU, March 31 – Pacer Pramod Basnet made a strong comeback to help Region No 3 Kathmandu register a thumping victory over minnow Region No 6 Baitadi at the Institute of Engineering Ground in the Springwood National League Cricket Tournament on Monday. Playing in the national league after five years, Pramod took five wickets to bowl out Baitadi for 135 in 36.2 overs – 118 runs less than Kathmandu’s 253/7. Man-of-the-match Pramod last played in 2003 against Biratnagar.

Paresh Lohani won the toss and elected to bat first in the ground that lacked sight-screens. Though he could only manage six runs before falling to Baitadi counterpart Dhirendra Chand, his teammates got scores to take the team to a good total.

Subash Khakurel (17) amended Paresh’s loss with a 48-run partnership with Sharad Vesawkar. Sharad played slowly for 38 runs but ensured the foundation for the score. His 97-ball knock consisted two fours while Dipendra Chaudhary (1) failed again.

Gyanendra Malla, Paras Khadka, Prasanna Shakya and Raju Basnet were on top of the bowlers hitting runs freely. Paras topscored with 43 off 41 balls in a knock that included four boundaries and a six while Gyanendra made run-a-ball 32 with six fours.

Prasanna hit four boundaries for his 27 off 28 balls and Raju ended the innings with Aamir Akhtar (12 not out) remaining unbeaten on 22 scored off 25 balls. It was a tough day for Baitadi bowlers with Sher Singh Khatri leading the pack with 2/40 while Dhirendra too got two wickets. Rabindra Chand and Binod Chhetri each claimed a wicket.

After the break, Pramod made it hard for Baitadi batsmen bowling well consistently. Bowling a 10-over opening spell, he gave away 23 runs for five wickets. His efforts put Baitadi at 55/6 in 18.1 overs – the remaining one wicket going to Raman Shrestha, and the match was already decided.

Sher Singh Khatri then hit brisk 40 off 42 balls with five fours and a six to take his team past three-digit partnering 50 runs with Padam KC. Binod Chhetri (13) stayed delaying the inevitable before Sharad came in to cap a good day with two wickets – of Binod and Padam, who got 26 off 64. Binod Bhandari hit two sixes and a four for 20 off 14 balls early in the innings.

Sanjam sizzles

At TU Ground, Sanjam Regmi scored a half-century and took three wickets as Region No 2 Birgunj defeated Region No 5 Nepalgunj by 58 runs.

Birgunj scored 197/7 in 50 overs with Sanjam scoring unbeaten 56 and Shovakant Pandey getting another half-century of the innings. Nepalgunj opener Mahesh Chhetri continued his good form with 52 but the rest of the batsmen failed and were bowled out for 139 in 45.3 overs.

Apart from Sanjam, who gave away 23 runs in 8.3 overs, Murtaza Hawari also claimed three wickets while Binod Das and Kumar Prasun took a wicket each. Binod is now a wicket shy of becoming only the second bowler in the national league to take 50 wickets behind Raju Basnet.

Mahesh’s 113-ball knock produced four boundaries and was the seventh wicket to fall making it 106/7 in 36 overs. Navin Shahi (19 not out), Nirmal KC (14) and Meraj Ansari (12) hit a few runs toward the end.

Earlier, Birgunj lost the momentum after a good start. Anil Mandal (17) and Shovakant (52) added 65 for first wicket but then Birgunj lost wickets in quick succession to go down to 90/6 – thanks to 4/19 of Nirmal. Sandeep Shrestha returned figures of 10-3-9-1 while Meraj also took a wicket.

In the 37th over, Birgunj was 110/7 with every possibility of bundling out below 150. But Sanjam and Vinay Shah then rescued the team with an unbeaten 87-run partnership – a national record breaking Bhairahawa’s Dipesh Khatri and Antim Thapa’s 59 against Nepalgunj in 2006 – as Birgunj raced to a defendable total.

Today’s match: Region No 1 Biratnagar plays Nepalgunj at TU and Region No 4 Bhairahawa takes on Nepalgunj at IOE Ground.