South trending upwards

Veteran left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak took two quick wickets following Forhad Reza's unbeaten hundred as South Zone tightened their grip on the five-day Bangladesh Cricket League final after the second day's play against East Zone in Chattogram yesterday.

Resuming the day on 305 for six, South Zone's first innings ended on 486 thanks to Forhad, who hit an unbeaten 186-ball 103 with ten fours and five sixes. In reply, Pinak Ghosh and Mohammad Ashraful made a confident start for East but both were dismissed in the span of three overs and that put their team in a spot of bother. Razzak broke the 63-run opening partnership by removing Ashraful for 28 and then picked up the wicket of Pinak, who scored a 67-ball 38.

Mahmudul Hasan and captain Imrul Kayes tried to steady the ship but pacer Shafiul Islam removed Kayes for 22 to put South in a strong position at stumps, with East reeling at 110 for three. Hasan remained not out on 21 while Afif Hossain, who got a maiden call-up to the ODI squad yesterday for the first two matches of the three-match series against visiting Zimbabwe, accompanied him with naught.

SCORES IN BRIEF

South Zone: First innings 486 all out (Fazle 86, Anamul 76, Shamsur 79, Reza 103 not out, Shafiul 30; Ruyel 2-86, Saqlain 2-78, Ashraful 2-13)

East Zone: First innings 110 for 3 (Pinak 38,

Mahmudul 21 not out; Razzak 2-34)