Mash magic defies Central

It was heartbreak for Mahmudullah Riyad and company at Fatullah yesterday. For the second consecutive day, the Walton Central Zone lost a game they were meant to win. On Sunday it was a heroic 70-odd from Nasir Hossain towards the end that defied them. And on Monday, it was a pair of veterans -- Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Abdur Razzak -- that batted them out of the game.

Chasing 214, Prime Bank South Zone slumped to 132 for 6 and their top order was sent back to the pavilion by the 39th over. It was supposed to be game over for Mashrafe's side. The tail after all required to score close to 80 runs in the last 11 overs.

But what followed displayed just what years of international cricket can do to a player. Razzak and Mashrafe got together in an epic partnership which saw them not just slogging their way out, but actually working the death overs to precision.

For one, Central's left-arm attack seemed to have no effect on Razzak, a left-hander himself. Mashrafe on the other hand, charged the spinners at will. Both the batsmen began with a six each and had immediately announced their intent of fighting it out.

Riyad immediately changed his ploy and decided to bring his pacers back into the attack; a move which worked out for both the veterans as they pounded on Mohammad Shaheed and Sharif smacking 22 runs in two overs. It was all one way traffic from there. Once Mashrafe got the momentum, he didn't stop.

With three overs remaining, South Zone required just 23 runs. Riyad brought in Sharif again and that's when Mashrafe decided to go for the charge. He welcomed him with a four off the first ball and then slapped him for ten runs off the last two balls of the over.

He deservingly ended the game and did so in style, by smacking a flighted Mosharraf Hossain-turner for a six to reach his half-century off 33 balls. The pair smacked 73 off 51 balls.

Earlier, Rubel Hossain steamed in to topple Central Zone's top order. His pace just seemed too good for the Central's players as he sped his way to a five-for.

Scores in brief

WALTON CENTRAL ZONE: 213 all out in 45.3 overs (Dhiman 63 not out, Mahmudullah 31; Rubel 5-42, Razzak 2-44) v PRIME BANK SOUTH ZONE: 216 for 7 (Mashrafe 50 not out, Saykat 50, Razzak 28 not out ; Sunny 3-11, Shuvagata 2-32)
Result: South Zone won by three wickets.