East Zone blitz Central Zone

Pacers Kamrul Islam Rabbi and Abu Jayed rattled the top order of Walton Central Zone to put Islami Bank East Zone in the ascendancy on the first day of the four-day Bangladesh Cricket League match at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong yesterday.

In the rain-interrupted first day, Central Zone were bundled out for just 179 runs. Rabbi provided the first breakthrough for East Zone by removing Rony Talukdar in the fourth over before pacer Abul Hasan dismissed the other opener, Abdul Majid, in the very next over.

Central Zone were reduced to 57 for five as Rabbi took the wicket of Marshal Ayub and another right-arm paceman Jayed claimed the wickets of Shamsur Rahman and Rokibul Hasan.

Mehrab Hossain and Mosharraf Hossain then added 73 runs for the sixth wicket before Rabbi bowled left-handed Mehrab for 43 runs to finish with figures of 3-43.

Left-arm spinner Nabil Samad was the other successful bowler, finishing on 2-27.

SCORES IN BRIEF

WALTON CENTRAL ZONE: 179 all out in 76.4 overs (Mehrab 43, Mosharraf 45; Rabbi 3-43, Jayed 2-44, Nabil 2-27)