Advantage Sylhet

Wickets tumbled like ninepins at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium yesterday with Sylhet being the gainers against Barisal in the four-day match of the 9th National Cricket League.
The seamers dictated the terms as a total of 19 wickets fell on the third day but Sylhet, who set a moderate 172-run target for their opponents, were closing in on their first victory in the competition when they reduced Barisal to 41-5 at close of play.
The match in Khulna between the hosts and table toppers Rajshahi was evenly poised as the visitors -- 192-7 in their second innings at stumps -- posted a 191-run overall lead.
SYLHET-BARISAL
Barisal pace trio Talha Jubair, Sajidul Islam and Arafat Salahuddin helped their side to bounce back strongly after conceding a 76-run first innings lead when Sylhet were bundled out for 95 runs in their second essay.
Alok Kapali, who slammed his first hundred of the season in the first innings, made highest 32 off 47 balls for Sylhet with the help of six boundaries.
But Barisal's joy was short lived following a disastrous start in the second innings as Shubhasish Roy and his new ball partner Rashedur Rahman demolished the Barisal top order with Imran Ahmed, Shaheen Hossain and Abul Bashar being dismissed for ducks.
Shubhasish claimed three wickets for 23 and Rashedur took 1-14 while the other wicket to fall -- first-innings top scorer Raisul Islam -- was run out for four.
Barisal skipper Shahriar Nafees, however, did not bat due to fever. "Definitely I will try my best to bat for my team tomorrow," Nafees said.
Roquibul Hasan was not out on 21 and Arafat Salahuddin on 13 when bails were drawn.
Earlier, Barisal's first innings ended on 259 after resuming on 215-6.
RAJSHAHI-KHULNA
Khulna skipper Habibul Bashar shrewdly declared their first innings on 204-9 after the resuming the day on 190-7, taking a one-run first-innings lead as well as denying his opponents from full bowling bonus points.
It would be an interesting final day as second-placed Khulna are in a must win situation if they want to snatch the top spot from the visitors.
Captain Khaled Mashud remained not out on 29, accompanied by inform Mushfiqur Rahman on five.
Farhad Hossain was the top scorer in Rajshahi's second innings with 49 off 157 balls including three fours.
BRIEF SCORES
RAJSHAHI: 203 and 192-7 in 78 overs (Jahirul 29, Zunaed 22, Farhad 49, Anisur 10, Shuvo 0, Nayeem 28, Mashud 29*, Forhad 7, Mushfiqur 5*; Rasel 1-30, Ziaur 1-23, Shakib 2-37, Murad 2-34).
KHULNA: First innings 204-9 dec in 86.1 overs (Sadat 95, Imrul 5, Bashar 31, Tushar 4, Shakib 2, Mustafizur 6, Sahagir 34, Ziaur 4, Dollar 3, Rasel 5*; Alamgir 2-59, Forhad 3-29, Shahjada 1-31, Shuvo 2-37).
SYLHET: 335-9 dec and 95 all out in 36.2 overs (Rahman 5, Imtiaz 0, Mithun 24, Rajin 12, Kapali 32, Mabud 5, Rezaul 5, Saif 0, Nabil 0, Rashedur 1, Shubasish 0*; Sajidul 3-28, Talha 4-34, Arafat 3-20).
BARISAL: 259 all out in 104.2 overs (Nafees 14, Hannan 6, Imran 0, Rokibul 28, Raisul 83, Shaheen 10, Bashar 56, Arafat 8, Tapash 4*, Talha 7, Sajidul 18; Shubhashish 4-64, Rezaul 2-36, Rashedur 4-54) and 41-5 in 17 overs (Imran 0, Hannan 1, Shaheen 0, Roquibul 21*, Raisul 4, Bashar 0, Arafat 13*; Shubhashish 3-23, Rashedur 1-14).