Dhaka drown Barisal

The stark contrast in the first round of the National Cricket League continued on the third day as centuries poured in from one end while wickets fell at the other. Barisal was on the wrong end of this spectrum, which resulted in a heavy innings and 413-run defeat against Dhaka at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday; the largest margin of defeat in domestic competition.

Dhaka broke Rajshahi's previous record of the largest margin defeat -- an innings and 207 runs -- against the same team in 2006-2007.

Promising Liton Kumar Das, Taiabur Parvez and experienced Mehrab Hossain joined the three-digit party in this round, but it was spinner Shuvagoto Hom who hogged the spotlight on the day by taking six wickets to wrap up Barisal's second innings for 99 runs.

After Rony Talukdar's double hundred and Rokibul Hasan's hundred, Taiabur hit an unbeaten 106 as Dhaka declared their first innings on 651. Then Shuvagoto and pacer Shahadat Hossain, who captured three wickets, took charge to make the Barisal batting crumble in the second innings.

At the Fatullah Cricket Stadium, Rangpur rode on Liton's 150 to brighten their chance of winning the match against Chittagong, who finished the day 336-runs behind the target, with seven wickets in hand.

Liton toyed with the opposition bowlers during his 142-ball knock, which saw 19 boundaries and four sixes, helping Rangpur declare their second innings for 257 runs. Chasing 419-runs, Rangpur finished the day at 83-3.

At BKSP, Rajshahi were on the brink of defeat against Dhaka Metro as they lost six wickets for 101 runs at stumps, in chase of a mammoth target of 460 runs. Left-hander Mehrab Hossain powered the Metro in the second innings, hitting 108 runs as Metro amassed 375 runs.

In another match at BKSP, Khulna are only three wickets shy of securing a massive victory against Sylhet. Sylhet's batting woes continued in the second innings as left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak picked up four wickets.