Rajshahi's solid start
Rajshahi looked set to retain their lead in the 10th National Cricket League when they took control of a top-of-the-table clash against Barisal on the opening day yesterday.
Second-placed Barisal, three points behind Rajshahi who are on 58 points halfway through the competition, were bundled out for a paltry 166 in their first innings of the four-day match despite Hannan Sarker's half-century.
In reply, Rajshahi wiped out 96 runs of the total at stumps losing their openers.
Faisal Hossain scored his back-to-back century to give Chittagong a competitive total of 279 for eight against Dhaka while the other sixth round match between hosts Sylhet and Khulna did not start due to poor ground condition.
The Sylhet Stadium was venue for Bangladesh Olympic Association's 'Sports for All' programme on Sunday and it could not prepared in time.
RAJSHAHI-BARISAL
Playing at their adapted home ground -- the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra -- Barisal failed to make most of winning the toss as they stumbled early after electing to bat.
Paceman Alamgir Kabir removed the two openers with 15 runs on board while his new ball partner Mohammed Shahjada trimmed the middle-order with a three-wicket haul.
Hannan, who anchored with a 77-run knock off 119 balls, shared 83 runs with Nasir Hossain (36 off 61 balls) but spinners Sohrawardy Shuva and Sabbir Rahman shared five wickets between them to clip the tail and put the visiting side on top.
Hannan, who was caught by Sabbir at third-man off Shahjada, hit ten fours and one six before being the fifth man down and the rest added just 36 runs to gift Rajshahi the final session to bat out.
The visitors also got off to a shaky start as Mahbub Alam (20) and Jahurul Islam (0) departed inside seven overs but Farhad Hossain (36) and Rajshahi skipper Anisur Rahman (34) saw the last 21 overs off without further damage.
CHITTAGONG-DHAKA
Fresh from his 129 against Sylhet in the previous round, Faisal Hossain smacked a run-a-ball 102 to help Chittagong recover from the early loss of Gazi Salahuddin (0) and his opening partner Nafis Iqbal (14).
However, Masumuddowlah's cautious 32 off 199 balls during a 68-run stand with Tariq Ahmed set the stage for No. 5 Faisal to begin an adventurous innings.
The left-hander, however, had an ally in Tariq who sent the ball nine times across the ropes and whacked two over-boundaries in a fine 83 off 149 deliveries.
Faisal, who put on 123 runs for the fourth wicket with Tariq, smashed nine fours and four sixes to complete his hundred but lost his cool immediately to be scalped by Ashraful Haque.
Dhaka somewhat got back into the game by claiming the last four wickets in the space of 17 runs with Ashraful and Emon each chipping in with a couple of wickets.
SCORES IN BRIEF
BARISAL First innings: 166 all out in 57.5 overs (Rony 4, Faruk 4, Hannan 77, Imran 4, Nasir 36, Raisul 12, Shahin 1, Tariqul 18, Talha 4, Saju 1, Kamrul 0, extras 5, Alamgir 2-29, Shahjada 3-57, Shuva 3-25, Sabbir 2-1)
RAJSHAHI First innings: 96-2 in 27.1 overs (Mahbub 20, Jahurul 0, Farhad 36*, Anisur 34*, extras 6, Talha 2-20).
CHITTAGONG First innings: 279 for eight in 90 overs (Salahuddin 0, Nafis 14, Masum 32, Tariq 83, Faisal 102, Nadim 10, Rezaul 3, Kamrul 6, Tareq 11*, Younus 4*, extras 14, Ashraful 2-29, Emon 2-53, Arafat 1-54, Elias 1-61, Riyad 1-46).
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