NCL starts <i>sans</i> stars

The National Cricket League (NCL) will lose some of its lustre as
the third round kicks
off today across the country without the national players, who are preparing for the first Test against the visiting West Indies.
The players from the preliminary list of 22 who have not been selected in the first Test squad will however join their respective divisions for the third round matches but many like Khulna players Jahurul Islam and Shafiul Islam were uncertain about whether they will be able to reach their respective venues on time.
Cricket will return to MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong after a long break when Barisal take on Dhaka Metro in the third round.
There is however some good news as Mashrafe Bin Mortaza is all set return to longer-version cricket from the fourth round.