Bashar, Mashud steer Torun

Veterans Habibul Bashar and Khaled Mashud joined in force to salvage Surjo Torun to a three-wicket win over City Club in the Premier Cricket League yesterday.
Two other scheduled matches were washed out following heavy overnight shower but a 39-overs match got underway at the Fatullah Stadium where this year's Twenty20 League finalists City Club got on top after winning the toss.
Chasing 150 for win, Surjo Torun who lost to holders Abahani in the league opener, were reeling at 21 for five after nine overs but Bashar and Mashud swung the match their way with an 80-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
One-down Bashar, who was ignored for Bangladesh's second and final Test against South Africa in Chittagong this week and had lost his place in the Tigers' one-day side long before, watched rival new ball duo Arafat Salahuddin and Shafaq Al Jabir run havoc before finding an ally in skipper Mashud.
Bashar, the only cricketer to have played 50 Tests for his country, made 65 not out while Mashud, also ignored by the selectors for lack of form with the bat despite the fact that he is still the best wicketkeeper, made 40 off 74 balls to help Torun reach the target with one over to spare.
The two former national captains defied the City attack for 21 overs before Mashud finally perished. He hit four boundaries.
Man-of-the-match Bashar kept cool and despite losing Nazmul Hossain Milon, who contributed a quickfire run-a-ball 16, finished the job with half a dozen fours.
Pacers Shafaq and Salahuddin each chipped in with three wickets.
Earlier, City elected to bat but failed to make most of the advantage after the two openers departed early.
Pakistani batsman Zahoor Elahi, who came at number three, settled for an unusually slow 28 off 46 balls with two fours and one six while Sumon Barua made highest 29 not out.
Milon was the most economic of Torun bowlers, taking 2-25 with his medium pace while seamers Delwar Hossain and Mohammad Sharif also took two wickets each. Pakistan's 17-year-old leg-spinner Saad Nasim captured 2-34 on his Dhaka debut.
In the wake of bad weather, the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis revised the fixture. Abahani will play BKSP at Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium and Mohammedan face Partex at Fatullah today.
Today's matches have been shifted to March 8.
SCORES IN BRIEF
CITY CLUB: 149-8 in 39 overs (Zahoor 28, Mabud 23, Sumon 29*, Salahuddin 20, Rashedul 12, extras 9, Delwar 2-34, Sharif 2-30, Milon 2-25, Nasim 2-34).
SURJO TORUN: 150-7 in 38 overs (Bashar 65*, Mashud 40, Milon 16, extras 12, Shafaq 3-22, Salahuddin 3-22, Sumon 1-41).
Result: Surjo Torun win by three wickets.