LALITPUR: Region-II (Birgunj) registered the third consecutive win while Region-III (Kathmandu) tasted their first success in the Boost Under-16 National Cricket League today. Avinash Karn and Gopal Singh put on an unbroken seventh wicket stand of 78 runs for Birgunj to overhaul a score of 195-6 made by Region-V (Nepalgunj) at the Pulchowk Engineering College grounds while Kathmandu laboured to a six-run win over Region-VI (Baitadi) at the Birendra Sainik Awasiya Mahavidhyalaya grounds in Bhaktapur. Kathmandu scored 206-9 in their allotted 40 overs before bowling out Baitadi for 200 in 36.5 overs. Birgunj lead the six-team standing with six points while Region-IV (Bhairahawa), who have played a game less, are next with four points. Nepalgunj are ahead of Kathmandu on third with better nett run-rate despite equal two points. At the Engineering grounds, Nepalgunj scored 195-6 in 40 overs and Birgunj overcame the total for the loss of six wickets. Nepalgunj openers Rikesh Shakya and Sanam Shrestha laid the foundation for a big total but their slow strike rate saw them pose just below 200-run total. Rikesh consumed 68 balls to score 34 while Sanam made 18 from 35 deliveries. Apart from Inamuddin Halwai, who scored 27 off 26 balls, the other two major contributors Rupak Nepali (32) and Prajwal Shahi (21) took two many balls to score. Rupak remained unbeaten after hitting five fours in his 45-ball innings and Prajwal struck three boundaries in his 34-ball knock. Nepalgunj’s total was also boosted by a whopping 46 sundries. Rahul Pratap Singh (2-34) and Mustakim Miya (2-30) were the pick of the Birgunj bowlers. Birgunj had a shaky run chase after Saud Ahmed Ansari bowled opener Chakra Prakash (three) in the third over with score on 13-1. But Rahul Pratap Singh (28) and Chandra Jha (22) steadied the ship with a second wicket stand of 61 runs. Ainuddin Ansari broke the stand to make it 74-2 by the 13th over and a three-wicket burst from Inamuddin and a run out of Chandra saw Birgunj in a precarious position at 118-6 by the 24th over. But man-of-the-match Avinash and Gopal negotiated the pressure too well seeing their team home in the 35th over. Avinash remained unbeaten on 50 and Gopal made 32 not out. Avinash struck six fours in his 64-ball knock and Gopal hit five boundaries in his 26-ball innings. Inamuddin returned with a figure of 3-3 while Saud Ahamed and Ainuddin claimed one wicket apiece for Nepalgunj. At the Army grounds, five top-order batsmen contributed runs as Kathmandu scored 206-9 in 40 overs. Sharad Khadka (51 off 74) made a fine half century while skipper Nupur Pandey scored a fluent 45 off 47 balls. Milan Thapa (28), Bijaya Rokka (26) and Dilman Rokka (22) also chipped in valuable runs to the total. Arjun Chapagain, Birendra Bista and Sameer Nagarkoti bagged two wickets each for Baitadi. Baitadi had a miserable run chase losing Dipendra Chand (naught) in the second ball of their innings but Tapendra Saud (26), Bikram Thalal (33) and Jagadish Chand (35) brought their team back in contention. Baitadi were nicely placed at 112-2 but were in deep trouble after losing their five wickets for just 15 runs. The match, however, was far from over as No 7 batsman Birendra Bista frustrated Kathmandu, making a swift 47 off 43 balls. Any hopes of an unlikely victory evaporated when skipper and man-of-the-match Nupur trapped the dangerman Birendra leg before wicket in the 36th over. He was the ninth man to be at 196-9 after hitting four sixes and as many fours. Sujan Basnet took three and Rishab Rajbhandari claimed two wickets for Kathmandu. Bijaya, Rokaya, Nupur, Roshan Khatri, Gaurav Pathak also grabbed one wicket apiece.