Region No 5 Nepalgunj won the battle of the rivaling neighbors riding on the record partnership of two players who have in past represented country’s age-group teams here today at the TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur in the Birendra Memorial National League cricket tournament.
Mahesh Chettri, who recently represented Nepal’s U-15 and U-17 squads, and Manoj Baishya, who represented Nepal in U-19 World Cup 1999 in Sri Lanka, added unbeaten 104 runs for third wicket to give their team the biggest win of the this year’s edition of the Nepal’s national league. They bettered Dipendra Chaudhary and Yunil Shrestha’s 100-run effort against them two years ago for the 8-wicket victory over the team divided earlier this year from their region.
Mahesh played a chanceless innings of 54 runs. He hit five boundaries in his unbeaten knock that saw him face 55 deliveries. Manoj, an opener, struggled hard in the beginning failing to read more than a dozen of Dhirendra Chand’s deliveries but however kept his wicket intact for 64 runs in 89 balls including nine fours. Captain Dhirendra was the only successful bowler for Baitadi taking both wickets.
Earlier, Baitadi began well after Nepalgunj invited them to bat first. They lost opener Manoj Joshi in third over but 55-run second wicket partnership between Deepak Malla and Dhan Bahadur Chettri saw them comfortably placed on 62/1.
Once Deepak departed missing Durga Sen’s fuller after scoring 38, Baitadi’s crumbled. From 62/1, Baitadi slumped to 84/6 losing wickets regularly. Only two lower order batsmen’s contribution took them to a respectable total. Dhirendra, batting at No 7, got 18, while Suraj Bhandari went on to produce unbeaten run-a-ball 35.
Dhirendra and Suraj partnered crucial 37-run partnership for seventh wicket ensuring Baitadi’s score past 100. Two run outs ended Baitadi’s innings at 148. Captain Durga Sen, who bowled splendidly exploiting early moisture, and spinner Raffique Ansari took two wickets each.