Liton joins ton train; East thump Central
The first round of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL), which was considered as preparation for the national players ahead of their Pakistan tour, saw some morale boosting performances from members of the 14-man squad for the upcoming Rawalpindi Test.
On the final day of the first round, Liton Das smashed an unbeaten century for North Zone that helped his side draw their game against fellow BCB-run team South Zone at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram yesterday.
Other national players to hit tons in the first round were Bangladesh and East Zone skipper Mominul Haque, South Zone’s Mahmudullah Riyad and East Zone’s Tamim Iqbal, whose Bangladesh-record 334 not out set up a victory by an innings and nine runs over Central Zone yesterday.
North Zone, chasing a target of 454 runs, started the day on 22 for no loss. It would have been overly optimistic to try and score the 432 runs in a day and hence North Zone aimed to play through the day and settle for a draw. And, thanks to Liton’s unbeaten 168-ball 103 that lasted for almost three hours, North Zone were able to see the day through.
Liton strung together a 125-run third-wicket stand with Junaid Siddique after North Zone were in a spot of bother, losing their openers in the first session. While Junaid was dismissed after a 127-ball 61, Liton built another crucial partnership with next batsman Naeem Islam. The Liton-Naeem duo accounted for a 79-run fourth wicket stand before Naeem fell in the final over. Liton, who also reached the 5000-run landmark in first-class cricket yesterday, powered his ton with nine fours and two sixes and persevered until the end as the match was drawn.
Meanwhile in Mirpur, off-spinner Nayeem Hasan, who will also leave with the national side for Pakistan today, bowled a match-winning spell for East Zone, scalping four of the seven Central Zone wickets that fell yesterday. Central Zone started the day on 115 for three trying to wipe out East’s mammoth 342-run lead. However, Central were bundled out for 333 as Nayeem finished with figures of six for 85.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah Riyad, Liton Das and Mominul Haque -- all part of the 14-member squad for the first Pakistan Test -- smashed tons in the first round. Shamsur Rahman, Fazle Mahmud and Shahriar Nafees are the other players to have scored centuries.
- Tamim recorded the highest-ever score in first-class cricket in Bangladesh when the stalwart smashed an unbeaten 334 playing for East Zone against Central Zone on Day 3.
- Liton was the latest one to score a century as his unbeaten 103 saw North Zone draw their match against South Zone yesterday.
SCORES IN BRIEF
CENTRAL ZONE: First innings 213 and second innings 333 all out (Saif 33, Nazmul 54, Rakibul 29, Mithun 83, Taibur 62, Hom 35; Nayeem 6-85, Taijul 2-82)
EAST ZONE: First innings 555/2d.
Result: East Zone won by an innings and 9 runs.
Player-of-the-match: Tamim Iqbal.
SOUTH ZONE: First innings 262 and second innings 398/3d
NORTH ZONE: First innings 207 and second innings 278 for 4 (Mizanur 29, Rony 37, Junaid 61, Liton 103 not out, Naeem 43; Razzak 2-66)
Result: Match drawn.
Player-of-the-match: Shafiul Islam.
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