KATHMANDU: Region-IV (Bhairahawa) and Region-II (Birgunj) won the inaugural day matches of the Boost Under-16 National Cricket League today.

Bhairahawa defeated Region-VI (Baitadi) by 44 runs at the Tribhuvan University Stadium while Birgunj overcame Region-I (Biratnagar) by three wickets at the Pulchowk Engineering grounds. Electing to bat first, Bhairahawa were all out for 128 runs in 31.3 overs and dismissed Baitadi for 84 runs in 31.1 overs.

Bhairahawa were reeling at 38-3 in the ninth over before a 42-run fourth wicket stand between Kasam Thapa and Prakash KC gave them a competitive total. Kasam scored a patient 24 off 48 balls with three boundaries and Prakash struck three fours in his 32-ball 22. Opener Swichan Shah and middle order batsman Sushan Bari also chipped in 15 runs each. Bhairahawa's total was also boosted by 36 sundries.

Sameer Nagarkoti was the pick of the Baitadi bowlers with 3-17 while Arjun Chapagain and Jagadish Chand bagged two wickets apiece.

Baitadi kept losing wickets in regular interval as the team was eventually dismissed for 84 runs in the 32nd over. No 4 batsman Tapendra Saud, who top scored with 37, was the last man out. Apart from Tapendra only No 10 batsman Yuddha Bikram Chand (10) could score in double figures. Man-of-the-match Devendra Somare claimed 3-13, Bibek Chaudhary took 2-7 while Nabin Shrestha, Satish Bhagat and Sagun Khadka picked up one wicket each for Bhairahawa.

At the Engineering grounds, Biratnagar were skittled out for a meagre 60 runs in 19.1 overs after electing to bat first and Birgunj reached the target losing seven wickets in 25 overs. Only opener Shailendra Ram (28) and Bhawendra Magar (10 not out) made notable contribution to the total for Biratnagar as six of their batsmen were duckout. Shailendra struck five boundaries in his 46-ball innings. Man-of-the-match Avinash Karn finished with 3-11 while Rajeev Kumar Shah (2-8) and Mustakim Miya (2-7) took two wickets each. Athar Ali claimed one while two batsmen were run out.

Birgunj had a tough time chasing a paltry total after being reduced to 29-6 by the 17th over. But Avinash chipped in 12 valuable runs and Madhav Subedi scored unbeaten 13 to seal their victory. Hari Chaulagain picked up four wickets for Bhairahawa while Lilan Kharel, Mahboob Babu Iraqui and Sumit Chandra Dev bagged one wicket each.