High flying Prime Doleshwar’s dream run continued as they moved to the top of the Dhaka Premier League table after beating Gazi Tank Cricketers by three runs in Duckworth Lewis method at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday.
In a low scoring affair Prime Bank CC beat Mohammedan SC by two wickets at BKSP-3 to pick their third win of the season while at Fatullah a captain’s knock from Nasir Hossain helped Victoria SC hand Cricket Coaching School their fifth defeat by three wickets.
Prime Doleshwar v Gazi Tank
With 212 runs to win, Gazi were the favourites in the game when they went on to bat in the second half, but Doleshwar, the team that have been in superb spirit, did not give up.
Gazi were reduced to 68-3 before New Zealander Scott Styris and skipper Mahmudullah rescued the side with a 53-run partnership. Rain poured in when Gazi Tank were 115-3 in 31 overs and halted the game for almost two hours.
When the game resumed, Gazi’s revised target was set to 146 to win from 36 overs, meaning they had to get 31 runs from 30 balls.
However, Doleshwar bowlers had other ideas as they struck six times to restrict their opponents to 142-9. After the break, Mominul Haque and Forhad Reza returned the two set batsmen before off-spinner Sohag Gazi cleaned up the last recognised batting pair, Rakibul Hasan and Hamidul Islam, in the same over to bring the win closer.
Man of the match Forhad claimed three wickets while Sohag Gazi and Hasantha Fernando picked up two wickets for Doleshwar.
Earlier, Gazi’s in form paceman Rubel Hossain claimed four crucial wickets to restrict Prime to 211-9.
Mehedi Maruf (60) and Roshane Shiwanka Silva (65) were the main men behind their modest total while Mominul also contributed 34 runs.
Mohammedan v Prime Bank
The return of Sri Lankan star Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mashrafe bin Mortaza could not bring the Black and Whites a win as they were bundled out for 173 runs with number nine batsman Muktar Ali scoring the highest 30 runs.
Medium pacer Ziaur Rahman claimed three vital wickets while pacer Tapash Baisya and left-arm spinner Enamul Haque Jr picked up two wickets each for Prime Bank.
However, Prime Bank were in similar troubles when they were reduced to 76-5 with all three of their foreign batsmen – Bhanuka Rajapaksha, Lahiru Thirimanne and Brendan Taylor – back in the hut. It was Taibur Parvez (38) and Rezaul Karim (40) who stabled the ship with a 71-run sixth wicket stand.
Prime Bank eventually reached 174-8 with Tapash and Enamul unbeaten on eight and one respectively. Saqlain Sajib took three wickets for Mohammedan while Sri Lankan Ajantha Mendis and Muktar Ali claimed two each.
Victoria v CCS
CCS, who are yet to register a win in the DPL this season, registered a modest total of 217-8 in their allotted overs. Young middle-order batsman Salman Hossain (52) struck his secong consecutive fifty while three Sri Lankans Rumesh Buddika (36), Gihan Rupasinghe (27) and Farveez Maharoof (41) also contributed to the CCS innings.
Left-arm spinner Monir Hossain took three wickets while pacer Mohammad Sharif picked up two wickets for Victoria.
Nasir top scored for Victoria with 77 runs off 78 balls while Jubayer Ahmed remained not out on 40 to ensure the third win for Victoria as they reached 217-7 with three wickets and almost two over to spare.
Brief Scores
Doleshwar v Gazi Tank
Prime Doleshwar 211/9 in 50 over.
Roshane Shiwanka Silva 65, Mehedi Maruf 60
Rubel Hossain 53/4, Arafat Sunny 29/2
Gazi Tank 142/9 in 36 over
Scott Styris 40, Mahmudullah 31
Forhad Reza 18/3, Shohag Gazi 16/2, Hasantha Fernando 26/2
Prime Doleshwar won by 3 runs, D/L method
Mohammedan v Prime Bank
Mohammedan 173/10 in 50 over
Muktar Ali 30, Tillakaratne Dilshan 28
Ziaur Rahman 24/3, Enamul Haque Jr. 32/2
Prime Bank CC 174/8 in 47.4 over
Rezaul Karim 41, Rezaul Karim 38
Saqlain Sajib 24/3, Muktar Ali 21/2, Ajantha Mendis 33/2
Prime Bank won by two wickets
Victoria v CCS
CCS 217/8 in 50 over
Salman 52, Farveez Maharoof 42, Rumesh Buddika 36
Monir Hossain 34/3, Md. Sarif 36/2
Victoria 219/7 in 48.4 over
Nasir Hossain 77, Jubayer Ahmed 40*
Asif Ahmed 36/3, Kamrul Islam 49/2
Victoria won by three wickets