Barishal wrap up match inside two days

The Tier 2 game between Barishal Division and Chattogram Division saw an early finish as Fazle Mahmud's Barishal wrapped up the game on the second day with a convincing 78-run victory in the two sides' National Cricket League encounter at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram yesterday.

With a 59-run lead, Barishal resumed the day by starting their second innings. However, a fifer from off-spinner Nayeem Hasan, who scalped four in the previous innings, and a four-for from left-arm spinner Hasan Murad helped Chattogram bundle out Barishal for a meagre 139 in 36 overs. 

Coming down to chase a 199-run target with over a couple of days' play remaining, Chattogram couldn't impress with the bat as they did with the ball. Barishal's left-arm spinner Monir Hossain, who bagged a fifer in the previous innings, got three yesterday while the likes of spinners Mohammad Ashraful, Sohag Gazi and pacer Kamrul Islam Rabbi picked two wickets apiece as they restricted Chattogram to 120 in 50 overs.

Meanwhile, in Sylhet, following centuries from Abdul Mazid and skipper Saif Hassan on Day one, Dhaka Division amassed 394 in 127.5 overs in their first innings against Rangpur Division. Pacer Mukidul Islam was the pick of the bowlers for Rangpur, picking up three wickets for 77 runs while spinners Nasir Hossain and Sohrawordi Shuvo scalped two wickets each.

Dhaka's Anamul Haque, Nazmul Islam and Shuvagata Hom took a wicket each as Rangpur finished the day with 96 for three on the board, still trailing by 298 runs.

Quality batting was on display in the match between Rajshahi Division and Dhaka Metro at the Cox's Bazar Academy Ground. Dhaka Metro, who were trailing by 249 runs, scored 283 runs for seven before stumps on day two. Dhaka skipper Shadman Islam led the batting attack with a steady 79 off 128 balls, featuring nine boundaries.

Meanwhile, it was a day for the bowlers at the Sylhet Academy Ground as Khulna Division's Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Al Amin Hossain scalped three wickets each to bundle out Sylhet Division for 172.

Khulna finished the day with a 70-run lead but lost three wickets for just 46 in their second innings.