MSC dominate high-scoring round
The Dhaka Premier Division Super League campaign began with a bang yesterday. The batsmen continued their dominance in the scorching heat, although sporadic rain interrupted two matches, to produce high-scoring matches in the first-round clashes at three venues. Gazi Group Cricketers failed to turn the tide of their sudden loss of form in the latter stage of the first phase as Mohammedan Sporting Club drew blood, showing that although they came to the Super League as the lowest-placed side they were not ready to just make up the numbers as they beat Gazi Group by seven runs at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium.
Abahani handed a 60-run defeat in the D/L method to Prime Bank Cricket Club at the BKSP to go level with Gazi at the top of the six-team table while Prime Doleshwar secured a 40-run victory, also through the D/L method, against Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club at another BKSP venue.
A number of batsmen impressed in the opening round and Doleshwar's Imtiaz Hossain was the most successful, making the lone hundred, but Abahani's in-form opener Liton Das, Nazmul Hossain and Mohammad Mithun contributed heavily for their team while Mohammedan's Rony Talukdar and Shamsur Rahman also made great contributions.
Liton Das's 73-ball 85, Nazmul Hossain's 57-ball 65 and Mohammad Mithun's 52-ball 60 lifted Abahani to 321 for six in an innings curtailed to 47 overs due to rain interruptions.
Liton, who struck eight fours and four sixes, along with Saif Hassan, added 100 for the second wicket to give a good platform for Nazmul and Mithun to accelerate and the latter batsmen capitalised by sharing 107 runs for the fourth wicket.
In reply, Prime Bank were all out for 273 runs in 43.3 overs as most of their batsmen got starts but failed to carry on. Zakir Hasan's 55 was the highest score.
There was a run fest at Fatullah and Mohammedan finally defended their 324 to make sure Gazi Group suffered their third consecutive defeat.
Mohammedan amassed 324 for eight thanks to Talukdar (92) and Shamsur (74), who added 148 runs for the second wicket. Chasing the challenging target, Gazi Group were off to a flying start as Anamul Haque and Munim Shahriar took charge with a 61-run opening stand in 6.4 overs.
Kamrul Islam broke the partnership in the seventh over removing Anamul, who made 36 off 22 balls. Mominul Haque fell soon after, but Shahriar repaired the damage with identical stands of 64 for the third and fourth wickets with Jahurul Islam and Parvez Rasool respectively.
Shahriar fell for 88 in the 39th over, after which Suhrawadi Shuvo kept Gazi afloat with a 51-run seventh-wicket stand with Mahedi Hasan but ultimately, Gazi lacked the boundaries at the crucial times and ended up with 317 for eight.
In another curtailed game at the BKSP-3 Ground in Savar, Imtiaz Hossain's career-best 128 powered Prime Doleshwar to put up 274 for seven in 46 overs.
Imtiaz, who smote 17 fours and four sixes, made most of the runs for his side and put on 176-run second-wicket stand with Shahriar Nafees, who hit 67. Sharifullah later made a valuable late contribution with a 27-ball 35.
In reply, Sheikh Jamal were bowled out for 251 after their batsmen failed to convert their starts.
Jamal had desperately needed a big score but three of their batsmen made 40s, including Tanbir Hayder, who top-scored with 46, while Ziaur Rahman made 37.
SCORES IN BRIEF
MOHAMMEDAN: 324-8 in 50 overs (Rony 92, Shamsur 74, Nazmul 47; Shahzada 2-52, Abu Haider 2-78)
GAZI GROUP: 317-8 in 50 overs (Munim 88, Suhrawardi 57 not out, Rasool 40; Kamrul 2-59, Bipul 2-60, Sajedul 2-68)
Result: Mohammedan Sporting Club won by 7 runs.
PRIME DOLESHWAR: 274-7 in 50 overs (Imtiaz 128, Nafees 67, Sharifullah 35; Tanvir Haider 2-58)
SK. JAMAL: 251-10 in 42.2 overs (Tanvir 46, Mahbubul 44, Chopra 43; Chathuranga 2-38, Sunny 2-41, Habibur 2-55)
Result: Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club won by 40 runs in D/L method.
ABAHANI: 321-6 in 50 overs (Liton 85, Nazmul 65, Mithun 60; Al Amin 2-43, Ariful 2-70)
PRIME BANK: 273-10 in 43.3 overs (Zakir 55, Nahidul 43, Easwaran 43; Manan 3-54, Shuvagata 2-33, Afif 2-48)
Result: Abahani Limited won by 60 runs in D/L method.
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