Lt. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Limited took a big step towards clinching their first Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League by beating Gazi Group Cricketers in their Super League clash Monday.
Jamal’s competitor Abahani Limited lost on the same day against Prime Bank Limited in another match to fall back further from the title race while Legends of Rupganj beat Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club to leapfrog to second position.
With the results of the first day of the Super League, Jamal now have 20 points, Rupganj 16 and Abahani 14 with four matches to go for each of the teams.
Jamal v Gazi
After losing the toss at Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishthan-3, Jamal openers made a solid start before Saif Hasan was dismissed on 25 in the 18th over when the score was 79.
Another opener Robiul Islam Robi scored 58 and skipper Imrul Kayes added 24 at three but the major contributions came from Nurul Hasan and Parvez Rasool.
Nurul, who returned to the league after completing international duty in South Africa, scored 73 while in-form Indian all-rounder Rasool also made the same number of runs and their 141-run stand helped Jamal post a formidable score of 273/5.
Both scored with the strike rate of over 100 as Nurul faced 72 balls while Kashmir-born Rasool consumed only 64 balls.
In reply Gazi lost their first wicket when the score was just three and lost wickets in regular intervals to get dismissed for 199 runs and concede a 72-run defeat.
Rasool, who picked up three wickets, was adjudged player of the match.
Prime v Abahani
Prime opener Anamul continued his supreme form as he scored 77, eighth fifty-plus innings in 11 matches in the tournament, and along with fellow opener Shahadat Hossain, who made 38, gave their side a flying start forming a 97-run opening stand off 99 balls.
With the base, albeit none of the batsmen were able to get past fifty, Prime, who lost the toss, ended with 273/9.
Abahani were desperate to win the match and keep their title hopes alive but the desperation backfired as they were bundled out for just 131 runs in 32.4 overs and lost the match by 142 runs.
Rakibul Hasan and Nasir Hossain grabbed three wickets apiece for Prime.
Rupganj v Rupganj Tigers
The match at BKSP 4 saw run feast as Rupganj made 325/5 before Rupganj Tigers ended on 270/9 chasing the score.
Sabbir Rahman was the star for Rupganj as his 125-run knock, his first century in 38 months in any recognized form of cricket, was the backbone of the innings while Indian Chirag Jani gave a good finish with his unbeaten 95 off 66.
In reply Rupganj Tigers’ Pakistani recruit Saad Nasim remained not out on 116 but that could only reduce the defeat margin.
Nabil Samad got five wickets for Rupganj.
BRIEF SCORES
Sheikh Jamal 271/5 (Rasool 73, Nurul 73) beat Gazi Group 199 in 43.5 overs (Shorey 55, Rasool 3/34) by 72 runs
Prime Bank 273/9 (Anamul 77, Dhananjaya 3/57) beat Abahani 131 in 32.4 overs (Mosaddek 65, Rakibul 3/18) by 142 runs
Rupganj 325/5 (Sabbir 125, Chirag 95*) beat Rupganj Tigers 270/9 (Saad 116, Nabil 5/47) by 55 runs
Khelaghar 289/8 (Amit 101, Usman 4/61) beat City Club 204 in 47.4 overs (Jawad 54, Masum 3/42) by 85 runs