Sabbir's near-miss and Onik's first
Rajshahi Division's Sabbir Rahman hit 99 before being run out going for the magic figure against Khulna Division but he did form the backbone of his team's 109-run first-innings lead at the end of the third day, which meant that the match was likely heading for a draw. However, the three other matches of the fourth round of the National Cricket League were all pointing towards a result heading into today's final day.
In the Tier-2 game at the Sheik Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi, Dhaka Metro's 19-year-old left-arm pacer Qazi Onik ran through Sylhet Division's second innings to bag his maiden first-class five-wicket haul and help bowl out Sylhet for 184, which set up a 197-run chase for Metro. They were in good shape at stumps on 28 for one with opener Shadman Islam and former Bangladesh batsman Shamsur Rahman at the crease.
Metro had started the day on 267 for eight, and added 33 before being all out for 300. Sylhet medium-pacer Khaled Ahmed, who bagged four wickets on Tuesday, picked up his second five-for by dismissing overnight batsman Zabid Hossain.
At the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna, Rajshahi piled on the runs as they finished the third day on 418 for nine in their first innings in response to Khulna's 309 all out. Khulna, without skipper and bowling trump card Abdur Razzak, used nine bowlers as six Rajshahi batsmen registered scores of over 40, with the highest being Sabbir's 169-ball 99, which included 11 fours and a six.
The other Tier-1 game at the Rangpur Cricket Garden Stadium was poised on a knife edge as Barishal, on 71 for three, need another 159 runs to win after a five-wicket haul from left-arm spinner Monir Hossain helped skittle out the hosts for 229, setting up a target of 230 as both sides fell for 147 in their first innings. Young batsman Al-Amin, unbeaten on 35, was the big hope for the visitors. With none of the Tier-1 teams having won so far this season, a win for either team will take them to the top spot.
Things moved at breakneck speed in the Tier-2 game between Chattogram Division and Dhaka Division at the Sheikh Kamal International Stadium in Cox's Bazar as 14 wickets fell after Chattogram resumed on 223 for eight. They could add only five runs before being bundled out 50 runs behind Dhaka, who were then bowled out for 151 to set a modest 202-run target. After falling to 22 for two, Chattogram were well in control through an unbroken 91-run third-wicket partnership between Mominul Haque and Tasamul Haque.
HIGHLIGHTS
- 19-year-old left-arm pacer Qazi Onik picked up his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket for Dhaka Metro against Sylhet Division in just his second longer-version match. The youngster also had a bright start to his domestic T20 career, taking four for 17 on debut for Rajshahi Kings against Chittagong Vikings during BPL 2017. Onik's five-for overshadowed Sylhet medium-pacer Khaled Ahmed's second five-wicket haul.
- Barishal's 32-year-old Monir Hossain picked up his 10th first-class five-for to help bundle out Rangpur for 229. The left-arm spinner took three wickets the previous day and added the wickets of Dhiman Ghosh and Robiul Haque yesterday.
- Away from the national spotlight, banned Bangladesh batsman Sabbir Rahman fell one run short of completing his fifth first-class hundred, batting for Rajshahi against Khulna yesterday. He went in the most painful way possible, run-out on 99 looking for the all-important single.
SCORES IN BRIEF
KHULNA V RAJSHAHI
KHULNA: First innings 309
RAJSHAHI: First innings 418 for 9 (Mizanur 43, Junaid 47, Farhad 56, Sabbir 99, Muktar 47, Sunzamul 64; Al-Amin 2-77, Moinul 2-63, Soumya 2-56)
RANGPUR V BARISHAL
RANGPUR: First innings 147 and second innings 229 (Rakin 30, Mahmudul 67, Suhrawardy 35, Dhiman 31; Kamrul 2-35, Monir 24-5, Sohag 2-65)
BARISHAL: First innings 147 and second innings 71 for 3 (Al-Amin 35; Robiul 2-22)
DHAKA V CHATTOGRAM
DHAKA: First innings 288 and second innings 151 (Nazmul 39, Mahbubul 38; Ifran 3-28, Nayeem 3-39, Mehedi 2-28)
CHATTOGRAM: First innings 238 (Yasir 60, Mahidul 40, Iftekhar 46, Nayeem 28; Mosharraf 3-63, Taibur 2-38) and second innings 113 for 2 (Mominul 62 not out, Tasamul 46 not out)
SYLHET V DHAKA METRO
SYLHET: First innings 292 and second innings 184 (Imtiaz 27, Zakir 26, Enamul 36; Onik 5-57, Shahidul 3-29)
DHAKA METRO: First innings 300 (Shamsur 63, Marshall 74, Zabid 43; Khaled 5-85, Shahanur 2-44) and second innings 28 for 1.
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