Rubel’s best dominates pacers’ day
Pacer Rubel Hossain registered his career-best bowling figures of seven for 51 to help Khulna Division bundle out Rajshahi Division for just 151 on the third day of the fifth-round National Cricket League match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday. Tier-1 leaders Khulna ended the day with a three-run lead and with six wickets in hand.
After the majority of the first two days were washed out, Rajshahi resumed the third day on 36 without loss before Rubel rattled through the batting line up and registered his fourth five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.
Rubel utilised the overcast conditions brilliantly and removed both Rajshahi openers Avishek Mitra (9) and Mizanur Rahman (43) in his first spell.
Seamer Ziaur Rahman then dismissed Junaid Siddique for 23 while Abdur Razzak dismissed skipper Farhad Hossain (9) and Shakhir Hossain (0) as Rajshahi were struggling on 85 for five.
Since then it was all Rubel, who started off by dismissing Sabbir Rahman and Muktar Ali, before removing Forhad Reza just before lunch to complete his five-wicket haul. He then returned for the wickets of Sunzamul Islam and Sujon Hawlader to single-handedly crush the Rajshahi batting line-up.
In reply, Khulna were in a spot of bother as pacer Mohor Sheikh removed openers Robiul Islam (12) and Anamul Haque (7) before Amit Majumder and Tushar Imran struck fifties and steadied the ship. In the final hour of the day, another seamer in Muktar Ali dismissed both Amit and Tushar as Khulna ended on 154 for four.
In the other Tier 1 game, Rangpur were in the driving seat against Dhaka Division courtesy of a five-wicket haul from pacer Mukidul Islam. That was followed by an unbeaten hundred from Nasir Hossain as they took a second-innings lead of 212 runs with five wickets in hand.
Resuming on 195 for five, Dhaka lost their last five wickets for just 27 runs and were bundled out for 222, giving Rangpur a 12-run first-innings lead.
Mukidul, who had taken three wickets on the previous day, scalped two more to bring up the 19-year-old's maiden five-for in first-class cricket, ending with figures of five for 37 from 17 overs.
In reply, Rangpur lost three early wickets and were struggling on 42 for three before Nasir and Ariful Haque added 59 for the fourth wicket. But Ariful too departed after scoring 30, while Nasir held firm at the other end and went on to register his seventh first-class hundred.
He remained not out on 102 off 205 balls with 11 boundaries. Skipper Naeem Islam was not out on 26 at the other end. Left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny and Taibur Parvez bagged two wickets each for Dhaka.
In Tier 2, Dhaka Metropolis were leading Sylhet Division by 205 runs with six wickets in hand in their second innings, riding on fifties from Azmir Ahmed and skipper Marshall Ayub. Dhaka ended the day on 245 for four.
Resuming the day on 322 for six, Sylhet were all out for 351, having taken a first-innings lead of 40.
Dhaka rode on opener Azmir's 80 off 113 balls, with eight sixes and four boundaries, while skipper Marshall remained unbeaten on 73 off 137 balls.
Play in the other Tier 2 game between host Barishal and Chattogram was abandoned without a ball bowled for the third consecutive day due to a wet outfield.
SCORES IN BRIEF
RANGPUR V DHAKA
RANGPUR: First innings 234 and second innings 200 for 5 (Nasir 104 not out, Ariful 30, Naeem 26 not out; Arafat 2-36, Taibur 2-27)
DHAKA: First innings 222 all out (Mazid 52, Raqibul 67, Taibur 34, Nadif 29; Alauddin 2-44, Mukidul 5-37)
RAJSHAHI V KHULNA
RAJSHAHI: First innings 151 all out (Mizanur 43, Junaid 23, Sunzamul 48; Rubel 7-51, Razzak 2-60)
KHULNA: First innings 154 for 4 (Amit 59, Tushar 58; Mohor 2-32, Muktar 2-26)
DHAKA METROPOLIS V SYLHET
DHAKA METRO: First innings 311 for 8 declared and Second innings 245 for 4 (Azmir 80, Shamsur 37, Marshall 73 not out; Enamul 2-80)
SYLHET: First innings 351 all out (Imtiaz 33, Amite 125, Kapali 32, Galib 59, Rahatul 39, Enamul 20; Taskin 2-54, Shahidul 3-69, Sharifullah 3-86)