Nasir takes Barisal ahead
Nasir Hossain struck a crucial unbeaten half-century to take Barisal on top of the National Cricket League one-day competition after a seven-wicket win over Khulna at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium yesterday.
Just like the first-class tournament, Barisal and Rajshahi are at each other's throats but for the northern rivals it was a bad day as they lost to Chittagong by three wickets. Chittagong and Rajshahi are now both on eight points each.
Sylhet and Khulna have six points respectively while Dhaka, who beat Sylhet by six wickets, gained their second win.
All three matches were curtailed due to heavy fog in the morning.
BARISAL-KHULNA
Middle-order batsman Nasir Hossain struck six boundaries and a six to score 58 off 87 balls as Barisal reached the winning target in 36.5 overs after Khulna made 147-9 in 40 overs.
He added exactly hundred runs for the undefeated fourth wicket stand with Shahin Hossain, who contributed 39 runs with the help of three boundaries.
Earlier, military medium Arafat Salahuddin took three miserly wickets to restrict Khulna, who had three ducks in the middle-order. Taibur Rahman struck 54 off 89 balls. Salahuddin was adjudged the man-of-the-match.
Barisal's discarded national paceman Sajidul Islam and left-armer Tariqul Islam took two wickets each.
RAJSHAHI-CHITTAGONG
Man-of-the-match Tariq Aziz took four wickets as Chittagong held back Rajshahi for just 140 runs in 38.5 overs at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium. The right-arm seamer took three top-order wickets and removed tail-ender Shafaq Al Jabir to finish with four for 32 from 9.5 overs. Only all-rounder Sabbir Rahman showed some fight, scoring 31 off 37 balls.
In reply, Chittagong rode on Tariq Ahmed's 39 and an unbeaten 35 by Mahmudul Hasan to win with seven overs to spare. Tall batsman Tariq cracked seven boundaries in his 44-ball innings.
Shafaq and Saqlain took three wickets each for Rajshahi.
DHAKA-SYLHET
Nadif Chowdhury used his big-hitting ability to match-winning use as he smashed three sixes and two boundaries in his unbeaten 59 off 53 balls.
The right-hander added 67 undefeated runs for the fifth wicket with senior pro Javed Omar, who made 32 off just 24 balls.
Left-arm spinner Monir Hossain and Saikat Ali took two wickets each.
Earlier, captain Mohammad Mithun struck 64 off just 57 balls as Sylhet made 173 for 9 from 28 overs. He smashed seven fours and a couple of sixes before becoming sixth man out in the 20th over.
Leg-spinner Marshall Ayub and Arafat Sunny took two wickets apiece while Ashraful Haque, Mohammad Azim and Elias Sunny had one each.
BRIEF SCORES
KHULNA: 147-9 in 40 overs (Taibur 54*; Arafat 3-12).
BARISAL: 150-3 in 36.5 overs (Nasir 58*; Dollar 2-31).
Result: Barisal won by seven wickets.
RAJSHAHI: 140 all out in 38.5 overs (Sabbir 31; Tariq 4-32).
CHITTAGONG: 141-7 in 43 overs (Tariq 39; Shafaq 3-20).
Result: Chittagong won by three wickets.
SYLHET: 173-9 in 28 overs (Mithun 64; Marshall 2-27).
DHAKA: 174-4 in 27.2 overs (Nadif 59*; Monir 2-29).
Result: Dhaka won by six wickets.
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