Bowlers grab limelight
The first round of the 20th National Cricket League may have been dominated by the batsmen, but it was the bowlers who made headlines on the first day of the second round of the first-class completion being played across four venues yesterday.
The only batsman to score a century on the first day among all four matches was Chattrogram's opener Sadikur Rahman in his side's Tier-2 encounter with Sylhet at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogura.
HIGHLIGHTSAfter picking up just one wicket in the first round game against Rajshahi, veteran left arm spinner Abdur Razzak got his groove back again. The only Bangladeshi to pick five hundred first-class wickets was instrumental with the ball for Khulna as he bagged three wickets while Barishal struggled with the bat and ended the first day on 266 for 8. Playing in just his fifth first-class game, left-handed batsman Sadikur Rahman smashed his maiden first class century for Chattogram on the first day of the second round game against Sylhet. It was also the only hundred struck in all four of the matches on the first day. Arafat Sunny was the wrecker in chief as he picked up seven wickets to bundle out Dhaka Division on just 206 runs in the first innings. It was his 18th five-wicket haul in first class cricket. |
The left-hander struck his maiden first-class hundred before eventually being dismissed on 106 runs off 190 balls, which includes nine fours. But despite Sadikur's century, Chattogram were unable to utilise the momentum and ended the day on 282 for 9 after taking the first guard.
Yasir Ali was the second highest scorer for Chattogram with 84 as the port city outfit kept losing wickets at regular intervals with Sylhet's off-spinner Shahanur Rahman picking up three wickets.
In the other Tier-2 match at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali stadium in Fatullah, Dhaka Metropolis's left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny bagged seven wickets to bundle out Dhaka Division on just 206 runs. Apart from Taibur Rahman's 88-run knock, none of Dhaka Division's batsmen were able to score significantly after being sent to bat.
In reply, Dhaka Metropolis ended the day on 26 without loss and trailing by 180 runs.
In the Tier-1 fixture at the Sheikh Abu Naser stadium in Khulna, where the pitch remained on the slower side despite patches of grass, Khulna's spinners picked up six out of the eight Barishal wickets that fell as the latter ended the day on 266 for eight after being sent to bat.
Left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak scalped three wickets while off spinner Mahedi Hasan and Al-Amin Hossain took two wickets for the bowling side.
Nuruzzaman was the highest scorer with a 48 not out while opener Shahriar Nafees added 41 for Barishal.
At the Shaheed Kamruzzaman stadium in Rajshahi, the hosts gained control of their Tier-1 match against Rangpur. Rajshahi bundled out Rangpur on just 151 runs and in reply, ended the day on 99 without loss. Mizanur Rahman (59 not out) and Nazmul Hossain Shanto (37 not out) will resume the second day trailing by just 52 runs.
After being sent to bat, Rangpur kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Naeem Islam's sixty was the highest score for the batting side while Farhad Reza and Mohor Sheikh took three wickets each for Rajshahi.
SCORES IN BRIEF
KHULNA v BARISHAL
BARISHAL: First innings 266 for 8 in 90 overs (Nuruzzaman 48 not out, Nafees 41; Razzak 3-103, Mehedi 2-46)
RANGPUR v RAJSHAHI
RANGPUR: First innings 151 all out in 59.4 overs (Naeem 60; Mohor 3-37, Farhad 3-39)
RAJSHAHI: First innings 99 for no loss in 27 overs ( Mizanur 59 not out, Nazmul 37 not out)
DHAKA DIVISION v DHAKA METRO
DHAKA DIVISION: First innings 206 all out in 75 overs (Taibur 88, Rony 30; Sunny 7-57, Ashraful 2-19)
DHAKA METROPOLIS: First innings 26 for no loss in 13 overs (Shykat 21 not out)
CHATTOGRAM v SYLHET
CHATTOGRAM: 282 for 9 in 87 overs (Sadikur 106, Nasir 84; Shahanur 3-58, Jayed 2-53)