Home Sports Eastern declared champions

Eastern declared champions

Rashmi Sharma of Eastern Region bats against Nepal APF Club in women's cricket final match at DMV School ground in Itahari of Sunsari district on Tuesday, December 27, 2016. Photo: Udipt Singh Chhetry

Sunsari, December 28, 2016: Eastern Region were declared the champions of the women’s cricket tournament under the seventh National Games after their final match against Nepal APF Club was marred by controversies in Itahari on Tuesday.

Batting first, Eastern were bowled out for a paltry 63 runs in 18.4 overs. Nepal APF were on their way to winning the match but the departmental side walked out at a time when they needed five runs from the last eight balls with two wickets in hand.

The controversy began after field umpires Sanjay Kant Sigdel and Mahesh Bohara amended the original decision of a boundary and awarded two runs to Ritu Kanojiya in the third ball of the 19th over. APF players and officials protested the decision and refused to play after having a heated discussion with the organisers. Match referee Adhip Pradhan then declared Eastern Region as the champions after APF team members did not enter the field.

“I tried a lot to convince them but they refused to play. They wanted us to see the video taken by them. But that was against the playing terms,” Pradhan said. Under such condition where there is no system of TV replays, umpires ask the fielder before giving the decision. “The match had resumed and an Eastern Region bowler had bowled two wides before I had to stop the match due to the disturbances at the boundary,” he added. “I asked the APF officials to stay away from the boundary line but they refused and I called back the umpires to dugout for safety. Later, the APF team players refused to continue with the match and I declared Eastern Region as the winners.” Pradhan said.

However, APF players and coach said that umpires were biased and changed their decision. “We asked the Eastern fielder Saraswati Begam and she accepted that the ball had crossed the boundary. I am surprised that the umpires changed the decision. They were all wanting the Eastern Region to win the match,” said APF coach Shankar Rawal. APF player Neera Rajopadhyay said they were forced to leave the match after the officials created the scene. “We were closed to victory despite the wrong decision. But the officials created the scene and we were forced to give up the match,” said Rajopadhyaya.

In men’s cricket, Western and Mid-western region recorded wins in the men’s cricket tournament under the National Games at Baijnathpur Stadium, Biratnagar on Tuesday. Western defeated Eastern by five runs in Group B match. Batting first, Western scored 143-4 riding on Krishna Karki’s unbeaten 55 off 24 balls, and restricted Eastern to 138 runs in 19.3 overs. In Group A match, Mid-western recorded a seven-wicket win against Far-western. Far-western scored 99-6 15 overs match and Mid-western chased reached 100-7 in 12.5 overs.