The table-toppers outplay Madhesh by seven wickets; Lumbini edge past Bagmati by 85 runs
KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 30
Sudurpashchim Province registered their fifth consecutive victory, while Lumbini inflicted first loss to Bagmati in the Wai Wai Under-19 National Cricket Tournament here today.
Sudurpashchim outplayed Madhesh Province by seven wickets at the TU Stadium. Batting first, Madhesh were bowled out for a paltry 122 runs in 38.1 overs before Sudurpashchim raced to 123-3 with 187 balls to spare.
Madhesh lost opener Shailendra Sah with just one run on the board and they never recovered. Ali Ansari and Imran Sheikh shared a 50- run partnership for the fourth wicket but Madhesh again failed to build on that partnership.
They lost the last five wickets for 19 runs. Ansari top scored with 32 off 56 balls that included five boundaries, while Sheikh struck five fours in his 38-ball 28.
Opener Mayan Yadav hit two fours and a six in his 28- ball 23, while Dablu Malik (11) was the only batter to score in double figure. Naren Saud was the pick of the Sudurpashchim bowlers as he completed the five-wicket haul taking 5-24 from 9.1 overs. Saud, who was later named the player of the match, was ably supported by Hemant Dhami (3-27) and Yuvraj Khatri (2-15).
In reply, Sudurpashchim openers Deepak Bohara and Dipak Bohara made confident start putting up 51 runs inside nine overs. After Dipak was dismissed for run-a-ball 24 that included six fours, Deepak and Sunil Chand (11) shared a 45 runs for the second wicket. They were dismissed in the space of three runs. Deepak hit six fours and two sixes in his 58-ball 53.
Gajendra Bohara and skipper Anurag Shahi (two not out) completed the formality adding 24 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket.
Shahi struck two each fours and sixes in his 10-ball 23. Abhishek Tiwari took two wickets and Symon Roy grabbed one for Madhesh.
At Mulpani grounds, Lumbini defeated Bagmati by 85 runs. Batting first, Lumbini were bowled out for 234 runs in the penultimate over, while Bagmati were packed for 149 runs in 35.3 overs. Lumbini openers Aakash Tripathi and Dev Khanal put up 72 runs in 16.2 overs before they faltered and lost wickets at regular interval.
But a couple of tailenders helped them post fighting total.
Khanal top scored with 46 off 54 balls that included five fours, while Tripathi scored 40 off 70 balls hitting two fours. No 10 batter Durgesh Gupta hit six boundaries and a six in his 25-ball 38, while Tul Bahadur Thapa (28), Vishal Bhusal (20) and skipper Bishal Bikram KC (11) contributed in double figures.
Pratik Shrestha took three wickets for Bagmati, while Abhishek Koirala and Omkar Yadav grabbed two each. Ahamad Raza and Yogesh Bhat bagged one wicket apiece.
In reply, six Bagmati batters got good starts but none of them could convert them into big knocks. Skipper Ashok Poudel top scored with 31 off 54 balls that included six boundaries, while Pratik Shrestha struck two each fours and sixes in his 34-ball 27. Roshan BK scored 23 off 20 balls hitting two fours and a six.
Omkar Yadav (16), Yogesh Bhat (13) and Uttam Magar (11) also scored in double figures for Bagmati. Player-ofthe-match Durgesh Gupta was the pick of the Lumbini bowlers taking 4-15 from 5.3 overs, while Avishek Gautam and Tul Bahadur Thapa grabbed two wickets each. Nirmal Gurung and Nar Sarki also bagged one wicket apiece.
After the day's matches, Sudurpashchim accumulated 10 points from five matches to remain at the top of the seven-team table. Bagmati are second on eight points, two more than Lumbini. Province-I are fourth on four points, followed by Karnali (two). Gandaki and Madhesh - who have faced four consecutive defeats - are out of the final race along with Karnali.
Top two sides after the round robin league will make it to the final.
A version of this article appears in the print on December 1, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
