Taskin, Soumya surprise
Two out-of-favour Bangladesh cricketers put in surprising performances on the third day of the third round of the National Cricket League yesterday. National opener Soumya Sarkar unexpectedly bagged his second five-wicket haul in first-class cricket playing for Khulna Division against Rangpur Division, while discarded pacer Taskin Ahmed seemed to discover some longer version nous with a five-wicket haul of his own for Dhaka Metro.
In the Tier-1 Khulna-Rangpur game at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna, the visitors started the day on 200 for four in their first innings after Khulna's 304 all out. Sohrawardi Shuvo was dismissed by pacer Al-Amin Hossain for 48 after nine runs were added. Soumya then took the last five wickets with the medium pace that seemed useful in ODI cricket in the recent Asia Cup, but it was not enough to stop Rangpur from taking a slender 11-run lead.
Soumya then hit his second half-century of the match after coming in at number three, adding 71 as Khulna ended the day on 181 for five, leading by 170 runs.
In the Tier-2 game at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogura, Chattogram resumed the day on 187 for six after Taskin had taken three wickets on the previous day. He added two more to help skittle Chattogram for 236, 51 shy of Metro's first innings total of 287. Chattogram batsman Tasamul Haque however shared in Taskin's limelight with a 263-ball 116.
Metro opener Shadman Islam then hit 62 and through some useful middle-order contributions, the side reached stumps on 191 for six, with a lead of 242 runs heading into the last day. 17-year-old off-spinner Nayeem Hasan took his maiden five-for in first-class cricket.
Meanwhile, bat met ball for the first time in the other two matches yesterday as the first two days of the Tier-1 game between Barishal and Rajshahi and the Tier-2 game between Sylhet and Dhaka were washed out. At the Barishal Divisional Stadium, the home side were shot out for 133 with Forhad Reza taking four for 30. Rajshahi fared no better as they were cut down to 125 for nine at stumps.
It was a different picture in Cox's Bazar where Sylhet coasted to 229 for two, with Zakir Hasan batting on 84 and Rajin Saleh unbeaten on 64 at stumps.
SOUMYA SARKER... 5 for 61
