Dhakas win big, stalemates in Tier-1
The exciting first round of the 20th National Cricket League ended with contrasting outcomes for Tier-1 and Tier-2 teams. In Tier-2, Dhaka Metro posted a huge innings-and-41 run victory against hosts Sylhet Division while Dhaka Division secured a comfortable 241-run win against Chattogram Division at Fatullah.
It was however Soumya Sarkar who hogged the spotlight on the final day as the left-hander's unbeaten ton helped Khulna secure a draw against hosts Rajshahi in the Tier-1 match at the Shaheed Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi.
In Bogura, Naeem Islam, who missed a hundred by only eight runs in the first innings, hit an unbeaten hundred as Rangpur fought for a draw with Barishal in the other Tier-1 match.
Resuming the day on 72, Khulna's Anamul Haque made 113 off 239 balls with 15 boundaries, the prolific Tushar Imran extended his score to 159 and then it was a stroke-making display from Soumya, who smashed eight fours and seven sixes in a 120-ball 103 as Khulna denied Rajshahi on the final day. Trailing by 160 runs with eight wickets in hand as Rajshahi amassed 552 runs in their first essay, Khulna finally ended on 467 for seven after making 210 runs in their first innings.
At the Shaheed Chandu stadium in Bogura, the fate of the match was all but written on the wall when Barishal ended the third day at 384 for four in reply to Rangpur's 502. Barishal's innings ended on 458 all out.
Rangpur made a disastrous start in their second innings as they lost two wickets for 12 runs but Mahmudul Hasan (53) and Naeem Islam (100) took the opportunity for some batting practice before the match ended in a draw with Rangpur making 164 for two.
At the Fatullah Cricket Stadium, left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam Apu spun Dhaka Division to a huge win. His five for 75 helped Dhaka wrap up Chattogram's second innings for 267 runs. Chattogram were all out for 142 runs in the first innings and faced a daunting winning target of 481.
Pacer Shahadat Hossain was the other successful Dhaka Division bowler, picking up four wickets for 46 runs.
In Sylhet, resuming the day on 149 for four, the hosts lost their remaining wickets for 21 runs to suffer the massive innings defeat against Dhaka Metro. Asif Hossain was the most successful bowler with five for 44 and Arafat Sunny took three for 63 runs.
HIGHLIGHTS
♦ A run-riot in the true sense: 11 centuries and two double hundreds paints a picture of batsmen making merry in the first round of the National Cricket League. But there was also cause for the bowlers to cheer as six —Jubair Hossain, Enamul Haque Jr, Afif Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Asif Hossain and Nazmul Islam—returned with five-wicket hauls.
♦ When batsmen like Tushar Imran, Mizanur Rahman and Rony Talukdar score big in the domestic circuit, it is seen as business as usual from domestic cricket's regular performers but Soumya Sarkar's unbeaten hundred on the last day has special meaning as it will bring some relief for the national team management. Soumya's hundred however was only his second in 101 innings after his maiden first-class ton (127) in the Bangladesh Cricket League in May 2015 at Chattogram.
♦ Nazmul Islam Apu has already become a well-known figure among the country's cricket lovers not only for his effective slow left-arm spin but also his snake dance celebration. Although the 27-year old spinner is considered a good option for limited-overs cricket, his first-class record is not that bad. Since making his debut in 2010, Nazmul has claimed 142 wickets in 53 matches and yesterday's five-for was the third in his career.
SCORES IN BRIEF
KHULNA V RAJSHAHI
KHULNA: First Innings 210 all out in 52.3 overs & Second Innings 467 for 7 in 128.5 overs (Anamul 113, Tushar 159, Soumya 103 not out)
RAJSHAHI: First Innings 552 all out in 147 overs
Result: Match drawn.
RANGPUR V BARISHAL
RANGPUR: First Innings 502 all out in 145.2 overs & Second Innings 164 for 2 in 54.2 overs (Mahmudul 53 not out, Naeem 100 not out)
BARISHAL: First Innings 458 all out in 145.2 overs (Rafsan 59, Fazle Mahmud 195, Shohag Gazi 128; Mahmudul 4-71)
Result: Match drawn.
DHAKA DIVISION V CHATTOGRAM
DHAKA: First Innings 238 all out in 81 overs & Second Innings 385 for 1 dec. in 92 overs
CHATTOGRAM: First Innings 142 all out in 53.4 overs & Second Innings 267 all out in 85.1 overs (Mominul 62, Saifuddin 60; Nazmul 5-75, Shahadat 4-46)
Result: Dhaka Division won by 214 runs.
DHAKA METRO V SYLHET
DHAKA METRO: First Innings 426 all out in 122.4 overs
SYLHET: First Innings 215 all out in 82 overs & Second Innings 170 all out in 72.4 overs (Zakir 72, Saleh 60; Asif 5-44, Arafat 3-63)
Result: Dhaka Metro won by an innings and 41 runs.
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