Province 1 entered the semi-finals of the Manmohan Memorial Inter-Province U-16 National cricket tournament with a slim one-wicket victory over Province 5 at the TU Stadium on Saturday.

A collective bowling effort helped Province 1 skittle out Province 5 for just 125 runs in 28 overs. A half century partnership between Einstein Rijal and Suman Sundas put Province 1 on top but Province 5 fought back picking up eight wickets in a space of 47 runs. However, No 10 batsman Sarwan Sisku held his nerve leading Province 1 to 128-9 in exactly 30 overs.

Province 1 currently lead the three-team Group ‘B’ table with three points having their Saturday’s match against Province 2 washed out. Province 2 and Province 5 will meet on Sunday to decide their semi-final fate.

Province 1 lost a flurry of wicket at the end of their innings and it was left on Sarwan Kisku who struck six off the last ball of the day in the only delivery he faced. Rijal and Sundas had consolidated the Province 1 innings forging a 69-run partnership for the second wicket. They, however, went through a terrible slide beginning with the dismissal of Sundas reeling at 122-9 from 75-1.

Abhishek Gautam took 3-25 from six overs and Ramesh Kurmi took 2-19 from six overs but it was a brilliant work in the field that jolted Province 1 with Province 5 fielders affecting four run outs.

Earlier, Province 5 were tottering at 69-7 and Prakash Giri pushed them towards a respectable total sharing 45 runs for eighth wicket with Abhishek Gautam who made 21 off 35 with two fours. Giri top scored with a 51-ball 58 that included five fours and two sixes. Bipin Mahato took 3-26 for Province 1 and Sameer Timsina had two scalps.

In an inconsequential Group ‘A’ match, Gandaki Province hammered Karnali Province by nine wickets. Karnali were 87 all out in 20.3 overs before a fine knock from Arjun Kumal steered Gandaki to 88-1 in 22 overs. Both teams are already knocked out from league stage with Sudurpaschim and Province 3 already making it through.

Kumal shared 60 runs for the first wicket with Cibrin Shrestha (17) and scored 49 not out from 54 balls with five boundaries. Dilip Sunar was the lone fighter in Karnali innings making a 37-ball 44 with four boundaries and a maximum. Sharad Tiwari, Nitesh Giri, Aditya Thapa and Avishek Thapa took two wickets each for Gandaki.