Rajshahi only winners in draw-fest
Rajshahi Division registered the only win of the opening round of the 19th National Cricket League as they beat Sylhet by six wickets on the final day following four exciting days of cricket at the Shahid Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi yesterday.
Chasing a target of 211, Rajshahi were expected to win as they resumed the final day on 86 for two and they went on to reach the target inside the first session.
Both overnight batsmen Farhad Hossain and Zunaid Siddique kept things under control and added 72 runs for the third wicket to lay the foundation for an easy win. Farhad scored a team-high 70 off 99 balls with 11 fours and a six while Zunaid Siddique added 46 as their side bagged maximum points from the Tier 2 encounter.
Sylhet were earlier bundled out for 128 in their first innings, but Rajshahi suffered tremendous batting collapse of their own and were skittled for 79 runs, courtesy of some brilliant bowling by off-spinner and eventual man-of-the-match Sayem Ahmed.
However, the Jahurul Islam-led side made a brilliant comeback in the second innings and dismissed Sylhet for 162 before going on to clinch the first win of the season.
The other three games ended in draws due to continual interruptions by rain.
Anamul Haque smashed a maiden double hundred for Khulna on the final day of their match against Rangpur while ODI skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza bagged three wickets in a short cameo.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Anamul resumed the fourth day on 172 and went on to score 216 off 356 balls during his eight-hour-plus stay at the crease.
Khulna took the first innings lead and declared on 495 for nine after Rangpur had posted 471 in their first innings, courtesy of centuries from Naeem Islam and Dhiman Ghosh.
Rangpur's Nasir Hossain bagged a maiden five-wicket haul in first class competition, ending with the figures of five from 70 from 20 overs.
Rangpur looked like they would have to face the music in their second innings after Mashrafe bowled a gem of a spell. The right-arm seamer scalped two wickets in his second over of the day and followed that up with another scalp in the next over and had given away just 12 runs from four over before rain once again interrupted play. Unfortunately the downpour continued, forcing the match to be called off just eight overs as Rangpur were reeling at 37 for four.
Mashrafe, who picked up just one wicket in the first innings, is expected to take part in the second round of the league before departing for South Africa for the three-match ODI series against the Proteas.
Persistent rain plagued the Tier 1 match between Dhaka Division and Barisal at Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium in Cox's Bazar, forcing three days of play, including the final day, to be abandoned. Only the second day saw players take the field and Dhaka posted 309 for two in their first innings with centuries from Rony Talukder and Saif Hasan. Not a single ball was bowled after that.
SCORES IN BRIEF
DHAKA METRO VS CHITTAGONG
DHAKA METRO: 344 all-out 1st innings and 169-6 declared (Marshal Ayub 74 not out; Mehedi Hasan Rana 3-37)
CHITTAGONG: 130 all-out 1st innings and 193-4 ( Sazzadul Haque 82, Tasamul Haque 46 not out, Sharif Ullah 2-66)
Result: Match drawn.
KHULNA VS RANGPUR
RANGPUR: 471 all-out 1st innings and 37-4 (Naeem 135, Dhiman 105, Sohrawordi 89; Mashrafe 3-12 )
KHULNA: 495-9 declared ( Anamul 216, Robiul 100; Nasir 5-70)
Result: Match drawn.
RAJSHAHI VS SYLHET
SYLHET: 128 all-out 1st innings and 162 all-out (Rajin Saleh 39; Saqlain 3-27, Forhad 3-28)
RAJSHAHI: 79 all-out 1st innings and 212-4 (Farhad 70, Zunaid 46; Shahanur 2-31)
Result: Rajshahi won by six wickets.
DHAKA VS BARISAL
DHAKA: 309 for 2 (Rony Talukdar 121, Saif Hasan 106 not out), Fourth day abandoned due to rain.
Result: Match drawn.