Rangpur clinch it on final day

In a nail-biting conclusion to the season, Rangpur were crowned with their first title in the country's lone first-class competition as they thrashed Dhaka Metro by 102 runs. Khulna seemed likely to take the trophy home as they sat atop the table with 120 points, leaving both their challengers Rangpur and Dhaka Division with a relatively tough option of taking a considerable lead and then claiming ten opposition wickets on the final day. And both teams have done that but it was Rangpur who ended Khulna's march towards a fourth title by the barest of margins -- one point.

Dhaka finished just below Khulna in third place, the same position Rangpur claimed last year.

Khulna, who had already won their game against Chittagong on Wednesday by an innings and 24 runs, left Rangpur with a mountain to climb against Dhaka Metro.

Resuming the day on 248-7, Rangpur continued to bat till they establish a lead of 360 before sending Dhaka Metro out to bat at the BKSP Ground 2.

Dhaka Metro batted well, but Mahmudul Hasan claimed five wickets and Suhrawadi Shuvo added three to bowl them out in 79.1 overs in the final session.

Dhaka Division, last year's champions, also had a shot at the title going into the final day. Like Rangur, they too kept batting until they established a lead of 359 runs. Rajshahi's batsmen save Mizanur Rahman, who hit 41 -- failed to get into any kind of rhythm as Mosharraf Hossain scalped five wickets while Jubair Hossain took two to bundle the team from the northern headquarters out for 225 runs in 68.5 overs. Despite the big win, Dhaka's dreams of a fifth NCL trophy remain unfulfilled, at least for this year.

Sylhet and Barisal faced-off in a clash of the eventual sixth and seventh places at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. Barisla scored 390 in their second innings, but despite the huge score they gained a lead of only 71 runs. Sylhet easily chased the target in 13.4 overs without losing any wickets with Ruman Ahmed hitting an unbeaten 61.

CHITTAGONG: 190 and 155 for 9 ( Tasamul 64 ; Mostafizur 5-28) v KHULNA : 369.  
RESULT: Khulna won by an innings and 24 runs.
Player of the match: Mostafizur Rahman.
DHAKA: 318 and 332 for 9 in 86.1 overs dec ( Nadif 100 not out, Rokibul 81 ; 3-99 ) v RAJSHAHI: 291 and 225 all out in 68.5 overs ( Mizanur 41; Mosharraf 5-84 )
Result: Dhaka won by 134 runs.
Player of the match: Mosharraf Hossain.
RANGPUR: 491 and 306 all out in 69.3 overs ( Liton 77, Naeem 86 ; Elias sunny 5-78 ) v DHAKA METRO : 437 for 9 and 258 all out in 79.1 overs ( Marshal 44 , Mehrab Jr 44 ; Mahmudul 5-89 )
Result: Rangpur won by 102 runs.
Player of the match: Mahmudul Hasan.
BARISAL: 167 and 390 all out in 113.3 overs ( Shahriar Nafees 71 , Mosaddek 72 ; Kapali 2-36 ) v SYLHET : 486 for 9 dec and 75 for 0 ( Roman 61 )
RESULT: Sylhet won by 10 wickets.
Player of the match: Rajin Saleh.