Teams pushing for wins
Teams began to push for results and displayed much more attacking intent on the third day of the fifth round of the 19th National Cricket League at venues across the country yesterday.
Khulna are in total control after having forced Barisal to follow-on at the Shahid Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi. Barisal were bundled out for 296 in their first innings and ended the day at 80 for 1, trailing by 135 runs with Rafsan Al Mahamud (47) and Fazle Rabbi (29) at the crease and face a daunting task to save the game on the final day.
After resuming their first innings on 94 for 4, Shohag Gazi and Shamsul Islam added 97 runs for the fifth wicket with both scoring in the sixties. However, Barisal lost their way afterwards in the face of Khulna's 511-run first innings total and conceded the follow-on.
Nahidul and left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak bagged three wickets each while pacers Al-Amin Hossain and Robiul Islam took two wickets each.
At the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna, Dhaka require 65 more runs with four wickets remaining to avoid the follow-on after concluding the penultimate day on 265 for 6 against Rangpur.
Dhaka went for a slow approach after resuming on 54 for 1 and added 241 runs in 90 overs. Overnight batsman Minhaj Khan scored 62 off 159 with seven fours while Rakibul Hasan scored 51 off 115.
Shuvagata Hom also struck fifty, scoring a team-high 67 off 100 with nine fours and a six before he became Abdur Rahman's second victim. Left-arm spinner Suhrawardi Shuvo also took two while Mahmudul Hasan and Jahid Javed picked up a scalp each for Rangpur.
In Bogra, Rajshahi took a first innings lead as they posted 403 in reply to Chittagong's score of 260. Chittagong ended the third day on 109 for 3 in their second innings after Sadikur Rahman scored a team-high 48. Tasamul Haque (32) and Sazzadul Haque will resume the fourth day trailing by 34 runs.
After resuming on 229 for 5, number eight batsman Hamidul Islam struck an unbeaten 73 off 154 balls featuring eight fours to give Rajshahi the lead. Mehedi Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Iftekhar Sajjad and Wahidul Alam took two wickets each for the bowling side.
Sylhet are in a spot of bother at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong despite having taken a first innings lead as they were struggling at 176 for eight in their second innings against Dhaka Metro.
Dhaka were bowled out for 259 but Sylhet lost wickets at regular intervals after the exchange, with only Shanaj Ahmed (66) crossing 50.
Left-arm spinner Nihad Uz Zaman continued to take wickets, bagging four, while another left-armer, Elias Sunny, took three wickets for Dhaka Metro.
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