Razzak delivers Khulna's first win
Veteran left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak bowled Khulna to their first victory in the 19th National Cricket League as he picked up his 29th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket to bundle out Barisal Division for just 163 runs in their second innings yesterday.
After a three year hiatus, perhaps the saying 'the only motivation is to enjoy the cricket' has become a mantra for the 35-year-old as his match haul of nine wickets clinched a comprehensive 239 run win for his side.
Razzak picked up four wickets during the first innings followed by five in the second innings while giving away 32 runs from his 17 overs in the Tier 1 encounter at the Sheikh Abu Naser stadium.
Razzak, who is just 18 wickets away from 500 first class scalps, is also a five wicket haul shy of fellow left-arm spinner Enamul Haque's benchmark of 30 fifers in Bangladesh's first class competition.
Barisal resumed the fourth and final day on 32 without loss with the task of saving the day's play since they were trailing by 370 runs but Razzak had some other plans in store.
Initially, it was Khulna's other left-arm spinner Moinul Islam who picked off opener Rafsan Al Mahmud on 27 to break the 58 run first wicket partnership and then followed up by taking the wicket of Shamsul Islam cheaply.
After that it was the Razzak show as he started to do damage to the Barisal batting order, eventually taking out Barisal's highest scorer and the only Batsman to show fight, opener Fazle Rabbi, who was eventually dismissed after scoring 88 off 171 balls.
Razzak bowled in tight lines and lengths and managed to get three leg-before decisions during his fifer while Moinul bagged three.
In the first innings, Khulna posted 444-10 riding on centuries from the man-of-the-match Mahedi Hasan and fellow experienced campaigner Tushar Imran while Barisal's left-arm spinner Monir Hossain claimed seven wickets. In reply, Barisal were all-out on just 258, handing Khulna the innings lead of 186 runs where Nuruzzaman got himself on the scoresheet with an unbeaten 101.
In the second innings, Khulna scored some quick runs and declared on 216 for 7 before Barisal were eventually unable to save the game in the last day.
Apart from the Khulna-Barisal tie though, all the other matches of the second round ended in draws.
In Tier 2, at the Shahid Kamruzzaman stadium, hosts Rajshahi resumed the final day on 147 for 1 and were eventually all-out on 415. Overnight batsman and skipper Jahurul Islam top scored with 79 off 140 balls while Zunaid Siddique added 77 and Farhad Hossain scored 60 but it was not enough for them to take the lead after Chittagong posted 432 on their first innings.
Chittagong batted just one over in the second innings before the game ended in a draw.
Meanwhile, Nasir Hossain's 26 ball fifty was the only highlight in the Tier 1 game at the Shaheed Chandu stadium in Bogra between Rangpur and Dhaka division. After the first two days were abandoned due to rain, there was finally some cricket played as Rangpur declared their first innings on 237 for two.
Rangpur's Nasir was dismissed after striking seven fours and two sixes on his 37 ball 52 run knock while overnight openers Saymon Ahmed and Jahid Javed retired to get some batting practise after scoring fifties. Sohrawardi Shuvo was also not out on 56 by the end.
In reply, Rony Talukdar scored sixty while Joyraj Sheikh added 45 as Dhaka ended the fourth day on 150 for three in 44 overs.
Lastly, the Tier 2 game between Dhaka Metro and Sylhet division at Cox's Bazar was abandoned without a single ball being bowled due to rain and a wet outfield.
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