MOMENTS
FRANKLIN KNOCKED OFF HIS GAME
In the 17th over of Rajshahi Kings' innings, James Franklin hit a ball towards cow corner and rushed through for a run. Seeing that the fielder was not really rushing, Franklin sensed an opportunity and rushed back for the second run. The fielder was not completely defeated as he did manage to land a punch, almost literally. His throw to the keeper's end caught Franklin, who had reached his crease by then, on the back of the helmet. Franklin took the lid off and stared quizzically back at his assailant. Cue the next ball, and he was trapped in front by Hasan Ali. Although coaches tell cricketers to always be looking for the extra run, that initiative cost Franklin his wicket and a knock on the head.
TAMIM OR FIZZ?
There were two kinds of homecoming at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium yesterday. One was hometown favourite Tamim Iqbal playing in front of his adoring fellow Chittagonians, albeit for another team in Comilla Victorians, after recently making a comeback from a thigh muscle tear. The other was from the man who is loved all over Bangladesh – the young Mustafizur Rahman. The Rajshahi-Comilla match was the Fizz's comeback to competitive cricket after more than five weeks on the sideline. In the fifth over, the two clashed when Mustafizur came on to bowl his first over of BPL 2017. There was a deafening roar from the stands as the pace sensation marked his run-up. Could he actually be more popular than Tamim in Chittagong? The answer was swift in coming -- Mustafizur bowled the first ball on Tamim's pads and the left-hander flicked it away for a boundary, which was met by a roar twice as loud. Geography matters.
ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER SOUMYA GAFFE
On Friday, Chittagong Vikings' Soumya Sarkar looked a little foolish when he went on a walkabout only for Sylhet Sixers' keeper Nurul Hasan to gleefully whip off the bails. Yesterday, with opening partner and skipper Luke Ronchi in good form, all Soumya needed to do was make sure that he was supporting him. But in the second over, Soumya played Lasith Malinga down to third man and scampered through for a single. Rubel Hossain sent a good throw back to the keeper's end, but Soumya had already turned around and started sprinting for the second, inducing Ronchi to leave his crease at the danger end. But Soumya suddenly stopped and left Ronchi in no man's land for Mohammad Mithun to run him out. At least this time Soumya made his skipper look a fool, as well as himself.
Comments