Riyad, Nafees and Shamsur tons set up South Zone
Tamim Iqbal’s triple hundred for East Zone in the match against Central Zone at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur and a treble of tons from South Zone’s Shahriar Nafees, Shamsur Rahman and Mahmudullah Riyad at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium against North Zone marked day three of the National Cricket League yesterday.
Tamim carried on from his unbeaten 222 yesterday to register the highest individual score in Bangladesh’s first-class cricket with an unbeaten 334 -- only the second batsman from Bangladesh to hit a triple hundred in Bangladesh following Rakibul Hasan’s unbeaten 313 in the 2006 season -- during a 585-minute stay at the crease over two days.
The opener, who had starred in a 296-run partnership with Mominul Haque on the second day, yesterday combined in a an unbroken 197-run partnership for the third-wicket with Yasir Ali, who was on 62 as East Zone declared at 555 for two after lunch. The triple century also saw Tamim enter the seven thousand-run club in first-class cricket.
Central Zone lost three top-order batsmen in Saif Hassan, Soumya Sarkar and Nazmul Hossain -- the latter hitting a team-high 54 -- before reaching 115 for three at stumps with East Zone firmly on top with a 227-run lead. East Zone’s Nayeem Hasan bagged the wickets of Saif and Nazmul to finish with two for 36 while Abu Jayed bagged one wicket for 13 runs.
South Zone were in a similarly dominant position after the third day. Opener Shahriar Nafees starred in a 206-run stand with Shamsur Rahman for the second-wicket before the former fell after a 251-ball 111, having entered the eight thousand-run club.
Shamsur Rahman reached his ton before falling one over later for a 218-ball 109. Anamul Haque, who had retired hurt on the second day, came back to the crease to partner Mahmudullah Riyad. The duo upped the scoring-rate, notching a 110-ball 155-run partnership for the fourth wicket, with Riyad hitting an unbeaten 70-ball 100 laced with eight fours and five sixes. Anamul scored a 59-ball 64 before South Zone declared at 398 for three. Mizanur Rahman and Rony Talukdar took North Zone to stumps without losing any wickets, trailing by 432 runs.
Despite the flurry of runs on batting-friendly pitches yesterday, it will be a tough ask for North Zone and Central Zone batsmen today to rescue the game with both East Zone and South Zone firmly on top with big leads.
SCORES IN BRIEF
CENTRAL ZONE: First innings 213 and second innings 115/3 in 40 overs
(Saif 33, Nazmul 54; Nayeem 2-36)
EAST ZONE: First innings 555/2d in 139.5 overs (Tamim 334 not out, Yasir 62 not out; Mukidul 1-71)
SOUTH ZONE: First innings 262 and second innings 398/3d in 102 overs (Nafees 111, Shamsur 109, Mahmudullah 100 not out; Ariful 2-51)
NORTH ZONE: First innings 207 and second innings 22/0 in 6 overs (Mizanur 15 not out, Rony 7 not out)
Comments