A shrewd call and a steady start
Dhaka Metropolis skipper Marshall Ayub's move to declare their first innings on 59 for eight against Dhaka Division at the Shaheed Chandu stadium in Bogura yesterday was the highlight of the first day of the fifth round of the National Cricket League.
After being asked to bat on a wet pitch, Metro faced the music right from the start as they kept losing wickets in clusters. Mohammad Ashraful's 14 was the highest score for Metro as only three batsmen were able to reach double figures.
Leading the highly competitive Tier-2 table -- where four teams are equal in the win-loss-draw stakes -- with 20.59 points, Metro declared after just 29.3 overs were bowled in order to deny Dhaka (on 15.38) the 1.5 points that they would have gained if they dismissed nine batsmen.
Dhaka's left-arm seamer Salauddin Sakil was the wrecker-in-chief and bagged four wickets for just 15 runs from his 12 overs, which included six maidens, while Sumon Khan bagged three wickets.
Dhaka however made a strong reply and ended the day on 167 for three, compiling a lead of 108 runs. Opener Rony Talukdar was the top scorer with 86, hitting nine fours and three sixes in his 154-ball innings, while Saif Hasan added 49. Shuvagata Hom (9 not out) and Taibur Rahman (4 not out) will resume batting on the second day.
Left-arm seamer Qazi Onik picked up two wickets while left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny took the other wicket for Metro.
In the Tier 1 game at the Cricket Garden in Rangpur, the hosts rode on fifties from opener Rakin Ahmed and skipper Naeem Islam to end the first day on 230 for five.
Right-hander Rakin faced 183 balls for his 79 before becoming left-arm spinner Sunzamul Islam's first of three wickets. Naeem however remained not out on 63 off 161 balls, which included nine fours, and will resume the second day with Dhiman Ghosh (13 not out).
Meanwhile, the first day of the Tier-1 game between Barishal and Khulna in Barishal and the Tier 2 game between Chattogram and Sylhet in Cox's Bazar were abandoned due to rain without a ball being bowled.
HIGHLIGHTS
♦ It came as a surprise when Dhaka Metropolis skipper Marshall Ayub declared their first innings on just 59 runs with the loss of eight wickets in the first day against Dhaka Division. However, it was a rather calculative move from Marshal keeping the point factor in mind. Any opposition will get one-and-a-half points if they are able to pick nine wickets within the 100 overs of the first innings. Dhaka Division got one point for the eight Dhaka Metropolis wickets they scalped on the first day and so, saving the half point by declaring early could play a crucial role on the Tier-2 points table in the coming days. Team wins will reward eight points while a tie will provide four points to each side and a draw will give two points to each team. Bonus points will only count within the first 100 overs of the first innings for both sides.
♦ Rain once again played foul on the first day of the fifth round of the National Cricket League. The Tier-1 game between Barishal and Khulna at the Barishal Divisional Stadium and the Chattogram-Sylhet tie at the Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium were both abandoned without a single ball being bowled due to the poor weather.
SCORES IN BRIEF
RANGPUR V RAJSHAHI
RANGPUR: First innings 230 for 5 (Rakin 79, Mahmudul 36, Naeem 63 not out; Sunzamul 3-41)
DHAKA METRO V DHAKA DIV
DHAKA METRO: First innings 59 for 8 decl (Shamsur 11, Ashraful 14, Shykat 10; Salauddin 4-15, Sumon 3-32)
DHAKA DIV: First innings 167 for 3 (Rony 86, Saif 49; Onik 2-27)