Ash hattrick in even battle

Mercurial Mohammad Ashraful's (2nd from R) job was to bat sensibly the day before, but the Walton Central Zone cricketer stunned all with a hattrick yesterday, the second day of the Bangladesh Cricket League final, against BCB North Zone at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. The feat, however, is unlikely to sway the national selectors who snubbed Ashraful for the Sri Lanka tour next month. PHOTO: FIROZ AHMED

Mohammad Ashraful proved he is never far from the limelight as Bangladesh cricket's prodigal son hogged the spotlight with a hattrick on the second day of the five-day Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) final at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur last night.
In the 79th over and his first over, spinner Ashraful made best use of the pink ball as he dismissed Forhad Reza, Sajedul Islam and Saqlain Sajib in the last three deliveries to become the first bowler to achieve this feat in the newly-designed first-class competition.
It also meant that the Walton Central Zone ended the day with a 62 run overall lead with eight wickets in hand at stumps over BCB North Zone.
“Obviously I am excited and hope this success gives me some confidence to bat well in the second innings. I bowled straight and flat to get the first two wickets and then it was a slower ball,” said an excited Ashraful after the day's play.
Ashraful became the eighth bowler to take a hattrick in the domestic first-class competition after Waswaurni Palash, Elias Sunny (who has done it twice), Nur Hossain Munna, Yasin Arafat, Mohammad Sharif, Dollar Mahmud and Shohag Gazi, who have all achieved the feat in the National Cricket League (NCL).
But it was left-arm spinner Mosharraf Hossain who combined with young paceman Taskin Ahmed to give Walton Central Zone a slim three-run lead. Almost all the North Zone batsman got starts but failed to carry on. Mosharraf finished with 4-65 and Taskin claimed three wickets for 50 runs.
Nasir Hossain was the brightest player for North Zone as he scored a well-made 74 from 88 balls with eight fours and four sixes, but missed out on the second century of the game.
Central Zone stretched their lead to 62 at the end of the day's play with eight wickets in hand as they scored 59 runs for two wickets in their second innings before stumps were drawn for the day.
SCORES IN BRIEF
CENTRAL ZONE: First innings 277 and Second innings 59-2 in 16 overs (Shamsur 24, Rokibul 20 not out, Mosharraf 2 not out, extras 12; Reza1-13, Sanjamul 1-9).
NORTH ZONE: First innings 274 all out in 79.1 overs (Myshukur 35, Farhad 14, Jahurul 47, Naeem 35, Nasir 74, Sabbir 18, Reza 30, Sanjamul 13, Extras 8; Taskin 3-50, Mosharraf 4-65, Ashraful 3-4)