Dhaka Metro and Sylhet Division win big
Sylhet Division and Dhaka Metropolis registered comprehensive wins over Barishal Division and Chattogram Division respectively in the Tier 2 games on the third day of the fourth round of the National Cricket League yesterday.
Barishal had a mountain to climb after Sylhet took a 160-run first-innings lead on the second day at the Sheikh Kamal International Stadium in Cox’s Bazar. Having been bundled out for 162 in the first innings, Barishal’s batting failed in the second innings too as they lost by an innings and 32 runs after being shot out for 128.
Resuming on 12 for one, Barishal did not put up a fight, with Sohag Gazi top-scoring with 37. Sylhet’s left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed bagged four while pacer Ebadot Hossain backed his fifer in the first innings with three scalps in the second, which netted him the player-of-the-match award. With two wins from four games Sylhet lead the Tier 2 points table with 22.54 points while Barishal are in last place with 15.62 points.
Batting was also the biggest concern for Chattogram as they too were unable to stage a comeback after being forced to follow on and eventually lost by an innings and 64 runs to Dhaka Metropolis in Chattogram.
Trailing by 216 runs with seven wickets in hand at the start of the day, Chattogram aimed to put up a better show than the 91 all out in their first innings but apart from fifties by Yasir Ali and Pinak Ghosh, it was a rather sorry scorecard for the hosts.
Chattogram were eventually bundled out for 248 with Dhaka Metro seamer Shahidul Islam bagging four wickets while pacer Taskin Ahmed and off-spinner Sharifullah took two each. With the win, Dhaka Metro moved into second place in Tier 2.
Meanwhile, in Tier 1, the action will move into today’s fourth and final day. At the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Tier 1 leaders Khulna ended the third day needing 73 runs to win with five wickets in hand against Rangpur.
Veteran left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak once again took charge with the ball for Khulna as he bagged his second five-wicket haul of the game to bundle out Rangpur for just 211 runs. Rangpur resumed the third day on 67 for four and Nasir Hossain top-scored with 76 to help his side get past 200 and set a 203-run target.
Razzak registered his 11th 10-wicket match haul and 40th fifer in first-class cricket, ending up with figures of five for 71 from 27.5 overs while off-spinner Mahedi Hasan took three wickets.
Khulna, however, were in a spot of bother during the chase courtesy of Rangpur’s left-arm spinner Sohrawardi Shuvo, who picked four wickets as Khulna ended the day on 130 for five. Mahedi Hasan and Ziaur Rahman were each on 30 and will hope to deliver the win today.
Riding on centuries from Taibur Parvez, Shuvagata Hom and Nadif Chowdhury, Dhaka Division declared their first innings on 475 for seven – securing a 245-run first-innings lead -- and in reply Rajshahi Division ended the day on 77 for three, still trailing by 168 runs in Cox’s Bazar.
Resuming the day on 284 for four, both Taibur and Shuvagata -- who were in their nineties -- reached their centuries before being dismissed on 102 and 104 respectively. It was then Nadif who jumped on the century bandwagon as Dhaka managed secured the huge lead.
For Rajshahi, Junaid Siddique was not out on 41 and will be key if his side are to pull off an escape today.
