Monir's 7-for not enough
Khulna Division were in the driving seat at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium yesterday despite being bundled out after adding just 96 runs to their overnight total courtesy of Barisal left-arm spinner Monir Hossain's seven-wicket haul on their second day of their second round match of the 19th National Cricket League yesterday.
Overnight batsman Mahedi Hasan, who was 35 runs away from a maiden double ton, added just 12 runs before Monir joined the party and trapped the right-hander to initiate the carnage.
The season campaigner went on and scalped all of Khulna's remaining six wickets to bundle the hosts out for 444 runs in their first innings.
The 31-year-old bagged his ninth five-wicket haul in first class cricket and ended up with career-best figures of 7 for 85 from his 34.3 overs, surpassing his previous best figures of six for 27.
Wicket-keeper batsman Nurul Hasan was the only notable performer for Khulna, scoring 33, as Khulna's innings ended at lunch.
However Barisal were put in a spot of bother and were struggling on 91 for six before Rafsan Al Mahmud and Nuruzzaman struck fifties and added an unbeaten 80-run stand for the seventh wicket to take the visitors to 171, still a deficit of 273 runs, at the end of day's play.
Rafsan smashed eight fours and a six during his 124-ball knock of 58 while partner Nuruzzaman was unbeaten on 52 off 97, a knock that featured two six and as many fours.
Pacer Al Amin Hossain and skipper Abdur Razzak took two wickets for Khulna while Bangladesh's ODI skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza picked up Abu Sayem's scalp. Mahedi Hasan also chipped in with a wicket.
In another match at the Shahid Kamruzzaman Stadium, a collective approach from the Chittagong Division batsmen saw them in a much better position at the end of the second day against hosts Rajshahi in their Tier 2 match.
Resuming the day on 67 for two, overnight batsman Yasir Ali and skipper Tasamul Haque made a good start and added 113 runs for the third wicket before the latter was dismissed after scoring a patient 37 off 176 balls with just a boundary.
However right-hander Yasir, who was heading towards his second first class ton, missed out by just six runs as he was dismissed for a 163-ball 94 for which he smote 14 fours and two sixes.
Left-hander Irfan Shukkur and right-hander Sazzadul Haque then steadied the ship with scores in the sixties before departing. Kazi Kamrul Islam remained unbeaten on 32 alongside Mahedi Hasan Rana on 11.
Left-arm spinner Saqlain Sajib and young Nazmul Hossain picked up two wickets each for Rajshahi.
Meanwhile, as on the previous day, the second day between Dhaka Division and Rangpur Division, and Dhaka Metro and Sylhet Division were called off without a ball in Bogra and Cox's Bazar respectively due to overnight showers resulting in wet outfields.
SCORES IN BRIEF
KHULNA VS BARISAL
KHULNA: 444 all-out (Mahedi 177 , Tushar 132; Monir 7-85)
BARISAL: 177 for six in 55 overs (Rafsan 58 not out, Nuruzzaman 52 not out; Al Amin 2-32, Razzak 2-50)
RAJSHAHI VS CHITTAGONG
CHITTAGONG: 419 for 8 in 139 overs (Yasir 94, Sazzadul 68, Shukkur 65; Nazmul 2-41, Saqlain 2-76)
DHAKA METRO VS SYLHET
Day 2 abandoned due to wet outfield
DHAKA DIVISION VS RANGPUR
Day 2 abandoned due to wet outfield
Comments