Tribhuvan Army Club raced into the final of the Manmohan Memorial national one-day cricket tournament with a 64-run win against Province 3 in Inaruwa on Wednesday.

In a match reduced to 47 overs per innings, the Tribhuvan Army Club won the toss and elected to bat. They got bowled out for 216 runs in 46.3 overs.

Chasing 217 runs for a win, the provincial team lost wickets at regular intervals and found themselves reeling at 73-7 in 19.1 overs. Skipper Subash Khakurel (15) and Ishan Pandey (17) were the only other batsmen to score in double figures, besides Sonu Tamang who top-scored with 74 runs from 75 balls with the help of six sixes and four fours.

With the side headed towards defeat, the pair of Tamang and Nandan Yadav, in a rearguard action, added 48 runs for the eighth wicket. Yadav scored just seven runs from 50 balls, but hung on to provide support Tamang, who blazed away from the other end. When Tamang got out, caught by Bhim Sharki off Kushal Malla, Province 3 had reached 121-8, still requiring 96 runs from 84 balls.

Next, Gautam KC was clean bowled by Sushan Bhari off the very first ball of the next over and it was all over for the provincial side and they got bundled out for 152.

Bhari was the pick of the Province 3 bowlers, picking up three wickets from 8.1 overs and giving away only 23 runs. Shahab Alam picked two wickets while Bikram Sob, Hari Chauhan, Harikrishna Jha and Kushal Malla shared a wicket apiece.

Earlier, the Tribhuvan Army Club themselves did not have an ideal start as they were two down for 14 in 7.3 overs. Their innings was rescued by a 62 run third-wicket stand between Anil Mandal and Rohit Paudel (29). Paudel was caught by Ramnaresh Giri off Nandan Yadav in the 20th over.

Mandal was briefly supported by Rajesh Pulami Magar (17). However, Magar's departure in the 24th over left the Army team in a precarious state at 100-4. They then lost two quick wickets while adding only 15 runs. Mandal was the first to depart with the score at 113-5, followed by skipper Binod Bhandari (6). Mandal hit three fours in his innings of 43 runs from 73 balls.

Allrounder Malla then chipped in with 37 runs from 26 balls as he smacked two sixes and four fours, but got caught by Pandey off his own bowling in the 37th over. With Malla’s departure, the Army team found themselves at 157-7 in 36.2 overs. The departmental team then lost their remaining three wickets for 59 runs.

Gautam KC was the pick of the Province 3 bowlers with four wickets, while Tilak Bhandari, Yadav and Pandey had two wickets each against their names.

The Army team will next play the winners of the second semifinal between Nepal Police Club and Sudurpaschim Province. The clash is slated for Thursday.

The tournament final will be played on Saturday.