Kathmandu/Cricnepal: Region Number VI Baitadi registered a third win in a row to enter into the finals of the ongoing U-16 National Cricket Tournament at Engineering Ground, Pulchowk on Tuesday.
Baitadi pulled a third straight win defeating Region Number VII Janakpurdham by 25 runs.
Baitadi winning the toss made a defendable target of 220 runs in the alloted 40 overs losing nine wickets. Tekendra Mal made a 74 ball-69 while Pura Bahadur Singh remained unbeaten at 68 runs off 65 balls with seven fours and two sixes. Mal had eight fours. Deependra Chand added a 72 runs partnership with Mal with the personal score of 38 runs off 42 balls including six fours. A 46 runs partnership between Chand and Mal was crucial into the Baitadi’s average total.
Rajeev Yadav grabbed four wickets, Ajay Paswan picked up three wickets while Rabin Gupta, Rahul Thakur and Sanjeet Pandey added a scalp each for Biratnagar.
In reply, Janakpur managed to score only 195 runs in 30.3 overs losing all ten wickets.
Rakesh Kumar Kamat top scored with 44 runs off 32 balls that included nine fours. Sasibhusan Mishra (43 balls-34), Anil Shah (27 balls-26), Amrit Giri (14 balls-19), Ajay Paswan (18 balls-17) and Rahul Thakur (10 balls-12) were the other contributors. 23 runs were added as extra for Janakpur though.
Man of the match Bhim Sarki took five wickets, Jagdish Chand picked up three wickets while Manoj Chand and Neeraj Pokhrel claimed a wicket each into Baitadi’s win.
In the other match played at Tribhuwan University Ground, Kirtipur Region Number I Biratnagar defeated Region Number V Nepalgunj by three wickets to keep the final hopes alive. Biratnagar are at the second position with four points from all three matches played. Regio Number IV Bhairahawa are in lead with four points from two matches wih a match still for play.
Winning the toss, Nepalgunj opted to bat first and scored a low total of 130 runs losing all wickets in 29.1 overs.
Besides a 34 runs opening partnership between Sanam Shrestha and Abrar Sheikh and a 45 runs partnership for the last wicket between Rabin Thapa and Sarin Shrestha, none of the performance was so delightful for Nepalgunj.
Thapa remained unbeaten at 32 runs off 22 balls that included four fours and a six while Sanam Shrestha added 21 runs off 28 balls with three fours. Sheikh(16), Akash Bista(16) and Sarin Shrestha were the other batsman to add a double digit score.
Rohit Kumar Singh remained the star of the day for his four wickets off 8 overs that he bowled conceding only 27 runs.
In reply, Biratnagar chased the target in 28.1 overs losing seven wickets. Rajiv BK top scored for Biratnagar with 39 runs off 47 balls that included four fours and a six. Lokesh Jha added 26 runs off 31 balls while man of the match Rohit Kumar Singh scored 20 runs off 38 balls.
Biratngar was gifted 26 extra runs.
Akash Bista took two wickets while Anup Neupane, Ajay Shahani and Rabin Thapa picked up wicket apiece for Nepalgunj.
On Wednesday, the two final group stage matches will be played. Region Number IV Bhairahawa will play Region Number VIII Polhara at T.U. Ground while Region Number II Birgunj will play Region Number III Kathmandu at Engineering Ground, Pulchowk.
Provided that, Bhairahawa lose to Pokhara by a huge margin, Biratnagar will progress to the finals and if it does not happen Bhairahawa will be in the final with three straight wins. Bhiarahawa has a net run rate of +1.61 with a match to go while Biratnagar has a net run rate of +1.209.
