Rajshahi first-class first

MAKING A STATEMENT! Dhaka's middle-order batsman Mahmudullah Riyad punches the air after guiding his side to a fantastic win over Barisal on the final day of the National Cricket League in Fatullah yesterday. His unbeaten 116 not only shattered Barisal's dream of lifting the title for the first time but put the national selectors in a spot of bother for ignoring him despite him being one of the leading run-getters in the domestic scene. Photo: STAR

Rajshahi became National Cricket League champions after the most dramatic finale in the competition's history. Despite falling short in their valiant run chase by 28 runs against Khulna at their home ground yesterday, Rajshahi pipped title-contenders Barisal by virtue of more outright victories after both teams finished on 101 points each. This is Rajshahi's second first-class triumph after their maiden success in 2005-06 season when they also won the one-day competition.
And the finish could have been ten times more interesting had Barisal defended 215 runs but Mahmudullah Riyad's fourth century was their kiss of death, as Dhaka narrowly won by two wickets at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium.
In the end, Rajshahi's 'better' defeat counted in their favour as they collected five points from the game while Barisal gathered four.
Rajshahi's senior statesman Khaled Mashud tried to sound modest but credited the victory to the youngsters.
"I had very little to do with it but the youngsters played very well. Boys like (Hamidul Islam) Himel and (Sabbir Rahman) Rumman stood out. And (Suharwardi) Shuvo always contributed to the team," said the former national captain who was excited by the dramatic finish that saw the first-class trophy hanging in the balance till the final hour on the final day.
Mashud, who retired from international cricket earlier this year but did not leave his beloved Rajshahi, said that his side's away wins and strong reserve bench helped.
"We missed (Zunaed Siddiqui) Imrose and Nayeem (Islam) but we did not cry about them. Rather we tried to get over it and play our own game," said Mashud.
Barisal's captain Imran Ahmed lamented two missed chances off Riyad that ended their hopes. "We could have finished it just after lunch but Talha hurt his ribs and Riyad got two lives too. It was heartbreaking that we couldn't take the last two wickets," said a forlorn Imran.
Meanwhile, last year's champions Khulna finished third, five points ahead of Dhaka while Chittagong avoided the bottom position as it went to Sylhet after an interesting drawn game in Sylhet where Lablur Rahman took six catches.
DHAKA-BARISAL
The match was at Barisal's behest only a few minutes after lunch. Dhaka's chase looked all but over when they were reduced to 95 for eight, chasing 216 to win.
Dhaka began the day teetering on 14 for three and in no time they went four down: Shamsur Rahman caught behind for five off paceman Monowar Hossain.
Riyad walked in and he saw more carnage at the other end. Monowar struck six overs later, removing nightwatchman Humayun Kabir for six and the sixth wicket fell in the 19th over when Nadif Chowdhury nicked Arafat Salahuddin. In between, Riyad survived a dropped catch at gully where Nasir Hossain dropped the all-rounder off Arafat Salahuddin on just three.
Despite that let off, Dhaka's long batting line-up started falling apart as Arafat Sunny was next man out, making it 81 for seven. Riyad and Anamul Haque avoided further damages, but six balls after the 40-minute break Monowar removed the young wicketkeeper.
The second session gave Dhaka a lifeline as both Riyad and Elias Sunny added 71 runs for the ninth wicket. During this period, two things went against Barisal. First it was the injury to Talha Jubair who hurt his rib cage after bowling just two balls. The second incident hurt them more as Riyad was again thought to have gone, but was caught at slip by Imran Ahmed off a no-ball from Tariqul Islam.
Man-of-the-match Riyad, who missed the Tigers squad for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka, reached his fifty off 106 balls and then sailed to his fourth hundred in 195 balls. By then he had struck a dozen boundaries while the stubborn Sunny, used sometimes as a makeshift opener, rotated the strike manfully.
In Tariq's twelfth and Dhaka's 77th over, Riyad took the winning runs that sealed one of the most unbelievable comeback victories in recent memory. The two added 124 runs for the tenth wicket with Sunny making 37 off 138 balls with four boundaries while Riyad struck fifteen fours in all. They batted together for just a minute over three hours.
RAJSHAHI-KHULNA
It was almost the same in Rajshahi but the senior players of the home team had the assurance that if not anything, the spoils would be shared with Barisal.
There was a reason for coming to an early conclusion after Rajshahi fell in a hole early on, losing four for 58. Skipper Anisur Rahman and wicketkeeper-batsman Hamidul Islam added 108 for the fifth wicket to give some hope. The latter fell for a well made 53 and in the space of five overs, veteran Anisur was also sent back for 71 off 102 balls. He struck seven boundaries.
But Sabbir Rahman had other ideas. The all-rounder who depends mainly on his legspin to win his bread, made a rapid 72 off 84 balls with seven boundaries and added 67 for the eighth wicket with Delwar Hossain.
But Sabbir Rahman had other ideas. The all-rounder who depends mainly on his legspin to win his bread, made a rapid 72 off 84 balls with seven boundaries and added 67 for the eighth wicket with Delwar Hossain.
Both batsmen fell in the space of seven overs and the end came when Shafiul Islam was cleaned up by Rabiul Islam in the 87th over.
Dollar Mahmud took four wickets and he shared the man-of-the-match award with his under-19 captain Suharwardi Shuvo, who took six wickets in the second innings.
SYLHET-CHITTAGONG
While all the drama was happening in Rajshahi and Fatullah, the only point of note in this game was the seven dismissals by wicketkeeper Lablur Rahman.
In his first appearance for Sylhet, the stumper took all the catches that went up in the Chittagong second innings and also made the stumping of Yasin Arafat. The match was played till the lights faded and there was some fun and games as Sylhet gave their lower-order batsmen the chance to add some runs to their barren kitty.
Chittagong gained 12 points from the draw while Sylhet got eight.
BRIEF SCORES
KHULNA: First innings 255-9 dec and second innings 347.
RAJSHAHI: First innings 251 and second innings 323 all out in 86.5 overs (Jahurul 14, Shakil 12, Mashud 15 Shuvo 2, Anisur 71, Hamidul 53 Sabbir 72, Mushfiqur 5, Delwar 35, Alamgir 16*, Shafiul 7; Aslam 3-42, Rabiul 3-81, Dollar 4-82).
Result: Khulna won by 28 runs.
BARISAL: First innings 125 and second innings 265 all out.
DHAKA: First innings 175 and second innings 219-8 in 76.2 overs (Javed 5, Shamsur 5, Marshall 4, Iftekhar 0, Kabir 6, Riyad 116*, Nadif 15, Arafat 10, Anamul 8, Elias 37*; Talha 2-6, Monowar 4-69, Arafat 1-65).
Result: Dhaka won by two wickets.
CHITTAGONG: First innings 382 and second innings 185-7 in 69.2 overs (Ashraful 26, Rashedur 20, Rezaul 4, Tariq 26, Masum 17 Arman 61*, Sazzad 16, Yasin 10; Saha 1-33, Tapash 2-37, Rashedur 1-18, Ejaz 3-41).
SYLHET: First innings 268 all out and second innings 65-4 in 11 overs (Ejaz 0, Monir 18, Taposh 13*, Sumon 7, Rashedur 1, Kamrul 1*; Kamrul 2-23, Rubel 1-25, Rezaul 1-1).
Result: Match drawn.