Old DOHS and Mohammedan Sporting Club moved ahead of the chasing pack through wins in their seventh round Dhaka Premier League matches yesterday.
The Motijheel outfit cruised past Bangladesh Biman by seven wickets at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur while Old DOHS crushed Gazi Tank by 79 runs at the BKSP ground. Abahani picked up their fifth win by beating Cricket Coaching School by 24 runs at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium.
MSC-BIMAN
On a day dominated by the return of Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, the Black & Whites kept up their form with first, some excellent fielding and then a strong opening stand between Imtiaz Hossain and Imrul Kayes.
The pair added 115 in 26.2 overs, enough to deflate the struggling national airline which is now on four points from seven outings. Imtiaz was the aggressor of the two, hammering nine boundaries in his 66 while the in-form Imrul cracked seven boundaries and a six, off Mashrafe, in his 77-ball 59.
For Biman, Junaed made 57 but Ramiz Raja Jr took a brilliant boundary-line catch to end his stay.
DOHS-GAZI
In the summit clash of this league at its mid-point, Old DOHS rode on an 145-run stand between Shuvogoto Hom Chowdhury and their Pakistani recruit Adnan Raza. The discarded national batsman made a 72-ball 63 with the help of six boundaries and a six while Adnan hit 12 boundaries in his 67-ball 76.
Then, Nabil Samad and Jalat Khan took three wickets each to help skittle out Gazi Tank for just 159 runs in 39.3 overs.
Only Mominul Haque stood firm, scoring a half-century as Gazi slipped to third place with ten points.
ABAHANI-CCS
Fazle Rabbi struck his first century of the season as Abahani made 265-5 in 50 overs.
The left-hander was at his rampaging best, hitting eight sixes and five boundaries during his 135 off 154 balls. Not just the big hitting, Rabbi added 111 with Marshall Ayub, who made 46, and a further 90 with skipper Mahmudullah Riyad, who also breezed into a half-century with the help of three sixes and two boundaries.
CCS were batting well in reply with Rokibul Hasan scoring 64, but English all-rounder Peter Trego took five wickets in his biggest contribution this season.
Apart from the five-wicket haul, Nazmul Islam Apu took three wickets.
SCORES IN BRIEF
BIMAN: 187-9 in 50 overs (Junaed 57, Javed 37; Sarmad 2-20, Yasim 2-27)
MOHAMMEDAN: 188-3 in 39.1 overs (Imtiaz 66, Imrul 59; Masud 1-21)
Result: Mohammedan won by 7 wickets.
OLD DOHS: 238 all out in 49 overs (Adnan 76, Shuvogoto 63; Kapali 3-22, Sanjamul 2-37)
GAZI TANK: 159 all out in 39.3 overs (Mominul 59, Rony 28; Nabil 3-28, Jalat 3-35)
Result: Old DOHS won by 79 runs.
ABAHANI: 265-5 in 50 overs (Fazle 135, Riyad 50; Robiul 2-37, Robi 2-46)
CCS: 241-8 in 50 overs (Rokibul 64, Atikur 40; Trego 5-48, Nazmul 3-36)
Result: Abahani won by 24 runs.