Normalcy remains
The traditional giants sauntered to big victories while the new force was not too far behind in yesterday's Dhaka Premier Cricket League matches.
Abahani crushed Prime Doleshwar by 110 runs at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium while Mohammedan Sporting Club beat strugglers Surjo Tarun by eight wickets at BKSP. Victoria Sporting Club shrugged off the Tamim Iqbal controversy with a 7-wicket win over Gazi Tank at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.
ABAHANI-PRIME DOLESHWAR
The defending champions again made a poor start though Peter Trego blasted the Prime Doleshwar bowlers from one end. The English all-rounder struck a run-a-ball 68 but when he was dismissed, Abahani were 104 for four in the 24th over.
Skipper Mahmudullah Riyad and Indian recruit Rajat Bhatia then added 110 for the fifth wicket as both scored half-centuries in their recovery act. Bhatia made 87 off 84 balls while Riyad struck 62 off 86 balls, helping Abahani to 270-9 in 50 overs.
Mahbubul Alam, Victor Barua and Murad Khan took two wickets each.
After Trego set the tone with two quick wickets, paceman Abul Hasan damaged the middle and lower order with four wickets as Doleshwar were bowled out for 160 runs in 40.5 overs.
Skipper Shahriar Nafees top scored with 37 while his younger brother Iftekhar Nayeem scored 27.
VICTORIA-GAZI TANK
Shahzaib Hasan and Nasir Hossain put Gazi Tank's innings on course after a poor start but both batsmen fell after getting set and adding 57 runs for the third wicket.
Mohammad Mithun took over the innings and struck a 67-ball 71 that had six fours and a couple of sixes but still, it only took Gazi Tank to 215 runs in 47.5 overs.
Victoria's reply was superb as Ahmed Shehzad struck the season's second century. His 115 off 102 balls had sixteen boundaries and two sixes and the manner in which he handled Mohammad Sami was a huge lesson for all the other batsmen in the league.
Left-hander Kamran Sajid was not out on 62 after he and Shehzad added 96 for the third wicket.
MSC-SURJO TARUN
Raja Ali's 50 was the only score of significance in Surjo Tarun's mediocre 204-9 in 50 overs. The right-hander struck five boundaries in his 88-ball knock while the rest of the batsmen couldn't make any impact on the Mohammedan bowlers.
Left-arm spinner Yasim Murtaza took four wickets while Hammad Azam and Noor Hossain picked up two each.
Imrul Kayes struck an unbeaten 91 in the Motijheel outfit's reply which was propped up by the left-hander's undefeated 139-run third wicket stand with skipper Naeem Islam who was not out on 67 runs.
SCORES IN BRIEF
ABAHANI: 270-9 in 50 overs ( Peter Trego 68, Riyad 62, Rajat 87; Mahbubul 2-66, Victor 2-49, Murad 2-49)
PRIME DOLESHWAR: 160 all out in 40.5 overs (Nafees 37, Manvinder 25, Nadif 24, Nayeem 27; Peter Trego 2-14, Abul 4-24, Rajat 2-23).
Result: Abahani won by 110 runs.
GAZI TANK: 215 all out in 47.5 overs (Shahzaib 42, Nasir 32, Mithun 71, Nazmul 23, Alauddin 21 not out; Alamin 3-39)
VICTORIA: 219-3 in 42.4 overs (Shehjad 115, Kamran 62)
Result: Victoria won by seven wickets.
SURJO TARUN: 204-9 in 50 overs (Jupitar 36, Raja 50, Hannan 37, Taiabur 29; Hammad 2-29, Yasim 4-31, Nur 2-40)
MSC: 205-2 in 46.2 overs (Imtiaz 26, Imrul 91 not out, Naeem 67 not out; Imran 2-36).
Result: MSC won by eight wickets.
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