Rain keeps Ashraful waiting

Rain interrupted three out of the four matches of the first round of the National Cricket League, a domestic four-day competition, which began yesterday.

The league saw the return of formerly suspended cricketer Mohammad Ashraful, who was included in Dhaka Metro's squad yesterday. While he was included in the playing eleven, he didn't get to bat on day one.

The competition is expected to give Bangladesh's Test players some practice ahead of their Tests against England.

The only game that saw a whole day's play was the one between Chittagong and Rangpur at the Sylhet International Stadium. Batting first, Chittagong rode on Yasir Ali's 90. He scored 12 fours and two sixes. He was helped by Tasamul Haque's 52 and Mominul Haque's 46. Opener Nazimuddin too contributed with a vital 43.

The problem with Chittagong was that none of their players managed to continue after getting set. They ended the day on 294 for five. Bowlers Alauddin Babu and Shubashish Roy, who have been included in the national pool for the next two series, took two and one wicket respectively.

In Khulna, Barisal rode on half-centuries from Fazle Rabbi and Shahriar Nafees to finish on 165 for three. While Nafees remained unbeaten on 76 with 11 fours, Fazle scored 82 with 12 boundaries.

SCORES IN BRIEF

DHAKA METRO: 47 for 2 (Shadman 18, Asif 15; Sharif 2-18) v DHAKA

BARISAL: 165 for 3 (Fazle 82, Nafees 76 not out; Mahed 1-0, Al-Amin 1-30) v KHULNA

RAJSHAHI: 94 for 2 (Farhad 30 not out, Junaid 26 not out; Ebadat 1-15, Abu 1-27) v SYLHET

CHITTAGONG: 294 for 5 (Yasir 90, Tasamul 52, Mominul 46; Alauddin 2-49, Shubashish 1-52) v RANGPUR