Academy boys lose to seniors

The South Africa-bound GP-BCB National Cricket Academy team failed to impress in the limited-overs practice match against Mohammad Ashraful men's at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
The senior side won the match by seven wickets with former national skipper Habibul Bashar making 49 while opener Mehrab Hossain added 34 and captain Ashraful made 12 runs in reply to the academy's 122 in 36.3 overs.
The team management asked the seniors to achieve the target in 35 overs and they completed it off the last ball.
Pacer Shahadat Hossain, Forhad Reza and spinner Mahmudullah Riyad claimed two wickets each to dismiss the academy boys cheaply.
Imrul Kayes top-scored with 37 for the Academy team which will leave Dhaka for South Africa on August 4 to play two four-dayers and three one-day matches against their South African opponents.
After the match, two former national captains Khaled Mashud and Habibul Bashar briefed the Academy players about the South African conditions.