Day of close finishes
It was a day of close finishes in the Dhaka Premier League yesterday. A few exceptional performances meant that each of the games witnessed intense finishes.
At Fatullah, Nasir Hossain's Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club took on the Mashrafe Bin Mortaza-led Kalabagan Krira Chakra (KKC). On paper, Prime Doleshwar are a much better side, but the way KKC competed yesterday suggested that they have plenty to play for in this competition.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Batting first, Prime Doleshwar, riding on Nasir's 75-ball 97 posted a powerful 287. It was a good knock from Nasir, who was ignored during the World Twenty20. The player needs to do well in the ongoing league in order to garner some attention ahead of the international series coming up this year and he has begun well. It was his knock that helped his side cross the 280-mark towards the end. Opener Imtiaz Hossain also did well, finishing on an 81-ball 73.
Mashrafe was the key wicket-taker. Abdur Razzak also did well, finishing with figures of two for 32 in eight overs.
Despite a good fight from Kalabagan Krira Chakra, they were restricted to 283 for nine after the exchange. Mehrab Hossain Jr, who smacked 86 off 87 balls with nine fours and a six was the key run-scorer. Five of the nine wickets fell to run-outs and that was one of the main reasons why Mashrafe's side failed to win the game.
At the BKSP in Savar holders Prime Bank Cricket Club took on the newcomers Cricket Coaching School (CCS). Here too Prime Bank were expected to ease past CCS, considering that the latter is dominated by players who do not have much experience and have come mostly from the Bangladesh under-19 side. However, the juniors fought extremely well and would have won the game if they just had a good number of finishers.
The Shuvagata Hom-led Prime Bank Cricket Club were bundled out for 257. Taibur Rahman with a score 76 and Yasir Ali with 53 were their chief run-getters. Once again their Icon player Sabbir Rahman, who had a brilliant time during the T20 World Cup, failed to perform. He was dismissed for just 16. If not for some good batting from their numbers six and seven -- Taibur and Yasir -- the result would have been different.
After the exchange, youngsters Saif Hassan and Salman Hossain scored centuries and had taken their side to a comfortable 208 for two in 44 overs. With six overs remaining they required 50 runs. But once the duo got out, they crumbled and were restricted to 252 for seven. While these youngsters did do well to score centuries, their partnership however, was a bit too slow for the chase.
The duo put on a staggering 195-run stand for the third wicket, however, it took them 40.5 overs, which basically meant that they went at a run-rate of 4.77 and eventually towards the end it didn't work out for them. It was a learning experience, for the youngsters, one which will definitely come to use in the upcoming games.
Comments