Ignominy for City

City Club completed a dubious perfect eleven as the curtains fell on the first round of the Premier Cricket League yesterday.
City's eleventh defeat in as many matches was confirmed when Victoria handed them a 50-run thrashing at the BKSP ground in Savar.
While City hit the low, Cricket Coaching School (CCS) scored a consolation win against Old DOHS by six wickets at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium on the final day of the first round.
The defeat served the final nail in City's coffin even before they join their yesterday's victors and Young Pegasus in the three-team relegation playoffs later this month. With two bottom finishers to be demoted to the First Division, the fight for survival in the Premier League between Victoria and Pegasus would be very close with the former enjoying one point advantage over Pegasus's four.
The dates for the relegation playoffs have not been fixed yet but it would take place after the start of the Super League on March 23.
Defending champions Abahani will start the Super Six battle with a four-point advantage from their nearest challengers Surjo Torun and Bangladesh Biman who have 16 points each. While participations of Partex, Mohammedan and Gazi Tank who have 14, 13 and 12 points respectively could be best described as 'also run' in the title race.
Old DOHS, BKSP and CCS however would be mere onlookers as they are neither in the Super League nor in the relegation playoffs.
VICTORIA-CITY CLUB
It was an important match for Victoria as a win meant that they will carry an edge over City Club in the relegation playoffs and they were at it as soon as they won the toss. A typical bright sunny morning at BKSP prompted them to bat first and their decision was justified when they posted a healthy total of 282-3 in the allotted 50 overs.
Dashing left-handed batsman Amit Mojumder scored a blistering 104 off 85 balls, hitting 13 boundaries and three sixes. Shakil Haider (72) and Sharifullah (63) also joined the party.
In reply, City Club got off to the perfect start as openers Rasel Al Mamun (89) and Mayshukur Rahim (58) put up 162 runs for the opening stand in 38 overs. But they lost the race against a soaring run-rate and eventually fell 50 runs shy of the winning target.
OLD DOHS-CCS
Although a truly consolation match in nature, both teams went hard about their business at Fatullah. Old DOHS batted after winning the toss and stacked a competitive total of 227-7 on the board.
Tigers batsman Mahmudullah Riyad shone with the bat scoring a forbearing and unbeaten 101 off 153 balls, hitting five boundaries and a six. Old DOHS's Pakistani recruit Wasim Nayeem and Golam Rahman provided a satisfying support with 33 and 42 respectively.
National pacer Syed Rasel ran into form picking up 3-40 in his ten overs for CCS.
Chasing the challenging total, CCS lost opener Uttam Sarker early at 30-1 but Pakistani import Shahbaz Butt and left-handed Elias Sunny steadied the ship with a 49 run partnership for the second wicket. Sunny finally perished with the score on 79-2 making only 17 but he aptly held one end up while Butt played his natural game for a 112-ball 69, hitting eight boundaries. However when Mahmudullah picked up Butt in the 30th over, Old DOHS started looking a little threatening.
But it was second down Nizamuddin Ripon (57) and Suvagata Hom (55) who took CCS home with 21 balls to spare and six wickets standing.
DOHS opening bowler Rashedur Rahman picked up two wickets for 49 runs in 9.3 overs.
BRIEF SCORES
VICTORIA: 282-3 in 50 overs (Amit Mojumder 104, Shakil Haider 72, Sharifullah 63*, extras 12)
CITY CLUB: 232-5 in 50 overs (Rasel Al Mamun 89, Mayshukur Rashim 58, extras 33; Akil Arshad 3-39)
Result: Victoria won by 50 runs.
OLD DOHS: 227-7 in 50 overs (Mahmudullah Riyad 101*, Golam Rahman 42, extras 12; Syed Rasel 3-40)
CCS: 228-4 in 46.3 overs (Shahbaz Butt 69, Nizamuddin Ripon 57, Suvagata Hom 55*, extras 8; Rashedur Rahman 2-49)