Fog, bowlers dominate
Khulna, Dhaka and Barisal bowled themselves to great positions at the end of the first day's play of their respective ninth round National Cricket League matches across the country yesterday.
All three sides dominated proceedings with the ball but dense fog forced the Rajshahi-Khulna and Barisal-Sylhet encounters back by several hours in the morning.
Rajshahi, at home, were bowled out for only 188 runs in 58.1 overs, thanks to an all-round bowling effort from the visitors. Khulna were 21-2 at the end of day's play.
In Chittagong, Dhaka folded the hosts' first innings for only 98 with Mohammad Sharif and Arafat Sunny starring with the ball. Dhaka were 10 runs behind after they reached 88-2.
At the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra, Sylhet struggled to 149-8 against Barisal in 60 overs of play.
RAJSHAHI-KHULNA
After dense fog delayed the start of play by one and half hours at the Rajshahi Divisional Stadium, Khulna's stand-in captain Nahidul Haq sent the hosts to bat.
Fast bowlers Ziaur Rahman, Aslam Khan and Rabiul Islam took two wickets each to vindicate Nahid's decision when Rajshahi fell to 66-4.
Only opener Shakil Haider struck nine fours and a six in his rapidfire 61 off 85 balls but his dismissal, an edge to Sahagir Hossain off Aslam, was the turning point as another batting order collapse began. Off-spinner Jamaluddin Babu snapped three while Fariduddin Masud took one as the hosts slipped to 188 all out.
Rajshahi opening bowler Delwar Hossain tried his best to wrestle back the initiative by picking up both the Khulna wickets.
BARISAL-SYLHET
Except opener Golam Rahman and captain Alok Kapali, none of the Sylhet batsmen could stand up to Barisal's varied bowling attack.
After the 2.5-hour delay, Barisal's new ball pair Sumon Saha and Arafat Salahuddin held the Sylhet batsman back, sharing five wickets and spinner Monir Hossain moved in to pick two wickets.
Rahman scored 45 off 100 balls with two boundaries while Kapali contributed with a 46-ball 39.
CHITTAGONG-DHAKA
Chittagong Divisional Stadium became the only ground where the match was not delayed but wickets fell like ninepins there as well.
The host batsmen never looked like getting on top of the Dhaka bowlers as the likes of Mahbubul Alam, Mohammad Sharif, Mosharraf Hossain and Arafat Sunny destroyed Chittagong in the first innings.
Sharif and Sunny took three wickets while Mosharraf and Mahbubul took two each.
Skipper Ehsanul Haq top-scored with 36 with six boundaries.
In their reply, Dhaka moved to 88-2 in 41 overs with Arman Hossain losing his castle to Tariq Aziz after making 33 off 56 balls.
BRIEF SCORES
RAJSHAHI: First innings 188 all out in 56.1 overs (Jahurul 3, Shakil 61, Farhad 1, Rafiqul 11, Naeem 0, Mashud 13, Mushfiqur 33, Delwar 4, Anisur 25*, Shafiul 13, Saqlain 0; Jamal 3-15, Robiul 2-26, Ziaur 2-28, Aslam 2-44, Farid 1-15).
KHULNA: First innings 21-2 in 7 overs (Nazmus 11, Mostafiz 1, Imrul 5*, Jamal 0*; Delwar 2-11).
CHITTAGONG: First innings 98 all out in 46.3 overs (Salahuddin 11, Masum 5, Mahbubul 2, Nazimuddin 0, Dhiman 10, Ehsanul 36, Mazhar 3, Kamrul 4, Yasin 20*, Tareq 2, Saju 1; Sharif 3-11, Arafat 3-28, Mahbubul 2-23, Mosharraf 2-31).
DHAKA: First innings 88-2 in 41 overs (Arman 33, Mehrab 2, Anwar 30*, Shamsur 15*; Yasin 1-12, Tareq 1-34).
SYLHET: First innings 149-8 in 60 overs (Imtiaz 25, Sadiqur 0, Rahman 45, Kapali 39, Sharifullah 12, Mabud 5, Ejaz 8, Nabil 5, Rashedur 0*, Rezaul 9*; Arafat 3-36, Monir 2-33, Sumon 2-43, Hannan 1-15).
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