Bhairahawa start campaign with style

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, May 11: The Area No. 4- Bhairahawa began its Birendra National League Cricket campaignin style as it thrashed Nepalganj by 42 runs today at the Kirtipur Cricket Ground. The Cricket Association of Nepal is the organiser of the league while Gorkha Brewery is sponsoring the five-team round robin tournament.

Bhairahawa openers Shyam Chand slammed gritty 49 off 55 balls and Basant Regmi made 24 runs to give a strong start to their team hammering 89 runs for the first wicket partnership. Even After the departure of Regmi, at 89.

Vinay Tripathi batted to make 35 not out. Durga Sen who came to bat as number ten batsman, contributed valuable 17-not-out. Captain Raju Khadka returned without scoring, as he could not handle a Rafiq delivery. Another star player Shakti Gauchan fell to Tajuddin for one.

The Bhairahawa middle order collapsed to Rafiq Ansari and Mohammad Tajuddin’s accurate bowling. Both Ansari and Tajuddin claimed three wickets each as Bhairahawa posted 154 for eight in 33 overs. The team bnefitted also from 23 extra runs in the innings rudeced to 33 overs due to the ground condition.

Nepalganj innings also could not handle the Bhairahawa’s lethal bowler Dipesh Khatri who claimed four wickets for 20 runs in 7 overs. Khatri was given man of the match award for his stellar performance with ball responsible for the collapse of the rivals. While Khatri broke the Nepalganj’s backbone, Gauchan and Regmi took two wicket each to send Nepalganj back to the pavilion for 112 runs. Nepalganj received 23 in extras as no batsman could pose any threats to the Bhairahawa bowlers.

Nepalganj openers scored 37 runs in which Arun Thapa made 19 while Tajuddin scored 14 runs. Rohit Sharma scored 18 runs in Nepalganj’s total of 112 runs for 8 in 33 overs. With today’s loss Nepalgunj crashed out of the league suffering three defeats in as many matches.