Ayub marshals Central, Liton buoys East

Central Zone piled up a massive first innings score of 529 against North Zone as Marshall Ayub followed Shadman Islam's first-day ton with one of his own on the second day of the fourth-round Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogura yesterday.

Mahmudullah Riyad added only five runs to his overnight score of 21 before becoming the first victim of Ariful Haque, who was the most successful bowler with four for 79 in 30 overs, but the other overnight batsman Marshall occupied the crease for long after resuming the day on 20.

During a five-hour long innings, Marshall hit his maiden ton in this season's BCL and smote 14 fours and a six in his 210-ball 132, but Tanbir Hyder and Mosharraf Hossain -- who was playing his 100th first-class game -- deserve a lot of credit for lifting the score to 529 after resuming the day at 249 for three.

Tanbir shared a 108-run partnership with Marshall for the sixth wicket stand and scored 46 off 116 balls before he was trapped in front by Sunzamul Islam. Mosharraf then took part in a 67-run seventh-wicket stand with Marshall before the latter was dismissed by Ariful. Mosharraf was not out on 83 off 131 balls that contained 13 boundaries.

"It was basically a batting-friendly pitch and I initially tried to take time after we lost three quick wickets which helped me make my first hundred. There was actually nothing for the spin bowlers and there was something for the pacers if they were able to put the ball in the right spot as there was a little bit of grass on the pitch," said Marshall.

At the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, two quick wickets from pacer Kamrul Islam enabled South Zone to finish the second day's play on a high note as East Zone reached 95 for three in reply to South's first-innings 403.

Kamrul removed Afif Hossain and Imtiaz Hossain while veteran left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak trapped Mohammad Ashraful in front for 12 in the last over of the day. In-from opener Liton Das, however, was resolute during his unbeaten 104-ball 60 that contained seven boundaries.

"It's a sporting wicket and that's why it was possible for us to score 400-plus, but here you have to keep your patience and make sure you bowl at the right spot. If we can maintain it then I hope we will be able to wrap up the [East Zone] innings quickly," said Kamrul.

Earlier, resuming the day on 299 for seven, South Zone crossed the 400-run mark thanks to two overnight batsmen Nurul Hasan and Delwar Hossain, each having started the second day's play on four. Captain Nurul made an unbeaten 44 off 52 balls with two fours while Delwar Hossain smashed eight fours and two sixes during his 64-ball 63.

There were two stoppages of play in Sylhet -- first due to rain at 10:37am when South were on 394 for seven and then after lunch at 12:30 during East's innings -- causing a loss of 38 overs.