Nabil lights up Day 1

BCB president Maj Gen Sina Ibn Jamali (3rd from R) shakes hands with Chittagong paceman Kamrul Islam (fourth from L) during the inauguration of the 10th National Cricket League at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium yesterday. PHOTO: TIGERCRICKET.COM

Left-arm spinner Nabil Samad took the opening day honours of the 10th National Cricket League as he grabbed eight wickets against Khulna at the Bir Shreshtha Matiur Rahman Stadium yesterday.
Rajshahi paceman Alamgir Kabir was close on Nabil's heels for the honour of the day's best figures as the discarded national player took six wickets to put Barisal on the back foot at the Rajshahi Divisional Stadium.
However, it was a sorry affair at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium as the first day's play in the match between Dhaka and Chittagong had to be called off due to a wet ground.
The same drainage problem persisted when the BCB President's XI and visiting New Zealand side had their warm-up match washed out.
Earlier, BCB president Maj Gen Sina Ibn Jamali inaugurated the tenth version of the country's lone first-class competition at the Fatullah venue.
Chairman of Ispahani Group Ali Behrouz Ispahani and Ghulam Mohammed Alomgir, chairman of the BCB tournament committee, were also present.
KHULNA v SYLHET
Nabil Samad brought Sylhet the breakthrough after the pace trio -- Subhashish Roy, Abul Hasan and Nazmul Hossain -- failed to get past the Khulna openers, who added 58.
Nabil removed Robiul Islam, before scything through the top and middle order with his guile.
He accounted for top-scorer Mostafizur Rahman, who scored 48 off 96 balls, national discard Tushar Imran and wicketkeeper Sahagir Hossain to put the hosts in trouble.
Later, he removed the tail with some help from Roy, who picked up the other two wickets.
But it was not all plain sailing for the visitors as they now find themselves facing a big first innings deficit. The Sylhet top-order had no answer to paceman Ziaur Rahman, who took three key wickets.
The north-easterners are now perilously placed at 42 for six from 21.1 overs in their first innings, behind by 136 runs.
RAJSHAHI v BARISAL
Alamgir Kabir completed his five-for as Barisal were reduced to 52 for five in the 27th over.
Barisal captain Imran Ahmed played a cool captain's knock as his 54 not out off a staggering 238 balls was made in more than five hours. He found good support from tail-ender Sajidul Islam, who scored his 43 off 84 balls. The two are still unbeaten at the crease after adding 81 for the ninth wicket.
Apart from Alamgir's exploits, it was left-arm spinner Suharwardi Shuvo who took the other Barisal wicket.
The match also marked the final stretch of Khaled Mashud's illustrious playing career as the country's most successful wicketkeeper returned to his home district to play as a retired international.
BRIEF SCORES
KHULNA: First innings 178 all out in 61.2 overs (Sadat 43, Rabiul 22, Mostafizur 48, Tushar 28, Sahagir 11, Raihan 1, Masud 7, Ziaur 0, Dollar 3, Rabiul 5, Aslam 0*; Roy 2-34, Nabil 8-63).
SYLHET: First innings 42-6 in 21.1 overs (Imtiaz 0, Saikat 1, Mithun 13, Rahman 0, Rajin 0, Mowla 1, Sharifullah 4*, Abul 17; Ziaur 3-9, Dollar 1-8, Aslam 1-7, Robiul 1-11).
BARISAL: First innings 186-7 in 90 overs (Uttam 15, Hannan 15, Faruque 3, Imran 53*, Nasir 10, Rony 5, Arafat 12, Shahin 10, Sajidul 43*; Alamgir 6-53, Suharwardi 1-34).