Shuvagata spins a web around South

Shuvagata Hom spun Central Zone to a brilliant 77-run win with a sixth five-wicket haul against South Zone in the first round of the Bangladesh Cricket League at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

The fourth and final day was set up to be a cracker, with South Zone requiring another 229 runs with eight wickets in hand in chase of a 266-run target.

However, Shuvagata ran riot with his off-spin and ended with figures of five for 53 from 14.3 overs as South Zone were bundled out for 188 after resuming on 38 for 2.

Left-arm seamer Abu Hider, who picked up both South Zone wickets that fell on the third day, bagged another two and finished with the figures of four for 44 from 12 overs.

South had made a positive start to the day as their two experienced overnight batsmen, Shahriar Nafees and Tushar Imran, added 82 runs for the third wicket.

However, pacer Robiul Haque provided the breakthrough for Central Zone by dismissing Tushar -- who made 40 off 68 balls with six fours -- before Shuvagata trapped Nafees, who scored a team-high 54, in front.

The 32-year-old then picked up another four scalps in no time as South Zone crumbled from 109 for two, losing their last eight wickets for just 79 runs.

At the Shaheed Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi, the game between North Zone and East Zone ended in a draw as expected.

East Zone were trailing by another 65 runs as they resumed their innings in reply to North Zone's first innings 445.

Overnight batsman Enamul Haque Jnr and skipper Farhad Reza added 107 runs for the eighth wicket before the latter was dismissed after scoring a 132-ball 85 that contained 10 fours and three sixes.

East added another 19 runs before being bowled out for 443, handing North Zone a two-run first innings lead.

In reply, Forhad Hossain struck his 17th first-class ton and remained unbeaten on a 128-ball 103 that included 12 fours and a six as North reached 270 for four by the end of the game.

Scores in brief

CENTRAL ZONE V SOUTH ZONE

CENTRAL ZONE: First innings 282 & second innings 264 (Liton 84, Shahidul 41, Robiul 37; Mehedi 5-72, Razzak 2-63, Shafiul 2-61)

SOUTH ZONE: First innings 281 & second innings 188 (Nafees 54, Tushar 40, Hasan 35; Shuvagata 5-53, Hider 4-44, Robiul 1-19)

Result: Central Zone won by 77 runs.

Player-of-the-match: Abdul Mazid.

NORTH ZONE V EAST ZONE

NORTH ZONE: First innings 445 & second innings 270 for 4 (Farhad 103 not out, Sabbir 56, Junaid 51. Naeem 29; Jayed 2-72, Mahmud 1-59)

EAST ZONE: First innings 443 (Yasir 94, Farhad 85, Saifuddin 64; Ebadat 3-87, Sunzamul 3-112, Ziaur 2-56)

Result: Match drawn.

Player-of-the-match: Naeem Islam.