Kathmandu, May 22 :

Four-time champions Region No 1 (Biratnagar) lost miserably to Region No 4 (Bhairahawa) by seven wickets in the inaugural match of the fifth National Cricket Tournament held at the TU Stadium here today.

Biratnagar crashed down to 80 runs in 40.4 overs. The decision of Biratnagar skipper Dipendra Chaudhary backfired as their openers Puspa Thapa (4) and Yaswant Subedi (1) departed cheaply. Unil Shrestha showed some resilience scoring 24 off 72 balls but the wickets continued to fall at the other end. Skipper Chaudhary’s 11 runs was the second best figure of the team.

Bhairahawa skipper Shakti Gauchan claimed three wickets conceding just eight runs in seven overs. Dipesh Khatri, Dil Bahadur Adhikari and Basanta Regmi took two wickets each. Vijay Thapa also got a wicket.

Bhairahawa chased the modest target of 81 runs in 20 overs losing three wickets. Opener Dipen Lamgada scored 25 off 23 before being dismissed by Lakpa Lama in the sixth over. Manoj Baisya (4) also fell prey to Lakpa while Raj Kumar Pradhan got rid of U-19 World Cup hero Basanta Regmi (10).

Man of the match Shakti Gauchan (22 not out) and Vijay Thapa (16 not out) finished off the game.

Meanwhile, Manoj Baisya of Bhairahawa and Dipendra Chaudhary of Biratnagar were summoned by match referee Buddhi Bahadur Pradhan for showing indecency after being given out by the field umpires.