Fine win for Khulna
Dollar Mahmud inspired Khulna to a 35-run victory over Chittagong while Mahmudullah Riyad struck his second successive century on the third day of the National Cricket League eighth round yesterday.
In the game of stunning reversals, Khulna came out on top despite being bowled out for 54, the lowest total so far, in their second innings. Chittagong were bowled out for 199, with paceman Dollar taking four wickets to give Khulna their second victory in the tournament and a fantastic return to winning ways after a two-day rout in the last round.
At the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka batted all day and took their second innings score to 251-7, with a lead of 110 runs and three wickets in hand.
Away in Sylhet, the hosts took a sizable 223 runs lead after bowling out league leaders Barisal for 270 runs. Sylhet, in their second innings, were 127 for two at stumps.
KHULNA-CHITTAGONG
Chittagong took the remaining three Khulna wickets giving away just 14 runs and set themselves a chaseable 235. But that wasn't to be.
Dollar ripped through the Chittagong top-order, particularly the wicket of in-form Masumuddowla for just six was telling for the visitors.
Faisal Hossain however held firm, adding 60 for the seventh wicket with Kamrul Islam, but when leg-spinner Mohammad Shakil broke the crucial partnership, Chittagong's back was broken. They fell to their second defeat when man-of-the-match Ziaur Rahman took his second and the visitor's last wicket -- Tariq Aziz -- in the 52nd over.
Left-handed Faisal smacked a typically robust 79 off 90 balls with 12 boundaries.
DHAKA-RAJSHAHI
Mahmudullah Riyad eked out his second hundred in a row, and kept Dhaka floating.
The right-handed middle-order batsman struck eleven boundaries in his 193-ball knock that spanned more than four hours. But crucially, he held the innings together by adding two substantial partnerships.
First he added 99 for the fifth wicket with Shamsur Rahman, who smashed a six and four boundaries in a sedate 76-ball 49. Then Riyad added 66 for the seventh wicket with Arafat Sunny, unbeaten on 44. Riyad fell leg-before to the Chris Gayle-type off-spin of Farhad Hossain.
For the visitors, Delwar Hossain again bristled in and made the Dhaka batsman pay, taking three wickets while Suharwardi Shuvo took two for 81.
SYLHET-BARISAL
Resuming on 129 for two, the visitors at the Sylhet Divisional Stadium ensured they batted the most overs of the day despite losing overnight batsmen Nasiruddin Faruque and captain Imran Ahmed very early.
Arafat Salahuddin, the portly allrounder, was stranded on 49 off 89 balls when Saju Dutta was run out in the 101st over. Arafat made sure Barisal did not give away a 100-run lead to Sylhet but still the visitors remained 96-run away and further went back by 223 when Sylhet opener Imtiaz Hossain smashed 74 off 100 balls, that had eight fours and three sixes.
He will come out to bat with Rajin Saleh, not out on 15 off 84 balls, when the fourth day begins today.
BRIEF SCORES
SYLHET: First innings 366-9 dec. and second innings 127-2 in 40 overs (Imtiaz 74*, Rajin 22; Saju 1-20, Talha 1-31).
BARISAL: First innings 270 all out in 100.1 overs (Faruque 66, Imran 50, Arafat 49*, Talha 30; Roy 3-67, Nabil 2-77).
DHAKA: First innings 142 and second innings 251-7 in 96.5 overs (Riyad 105, Shamsur 49; Delwar 3-55, Shuvo 2-81).
RAJSHAHI: First innings 283 all out.
KHULNA: First innings 301-9 dec. and second innings 54 all out in 34.1 overs (Kamrul 5-21, Younus 2-5, Tariq 2-15).
CHITTAGONG: First innings 121 all out and second innings 199 all out in 51.2 overs (Faisal 79, Kamrul 29, Dollar 4-57, Ziaur 2-35).
Result: Khulna won by 35 runs.
Man-of-the-match: Ziaur Rahman.
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