Table-toppers Khulna eke out win
Khulna are the early leaders of tier one in the Walton 17th National Cricket League after managing a close 13-run win over defending champions Rangpur during the fourth and final day’s play of the third round yesterday.
Rangpur, in pursuit of a challenging 200-run target, resumed yesterday’s proceedings on 58/6 and it initially appeared that the holders would make a right good fist of the chase when Naeem Islam (38) and Dhiman Ghosh (56) added 62 crucial runs for the seventh wicket.
However, once the duo departed, it was as good as over as Khulna’s Mehedi Hasan Miraz and veteran campaigner Abdur Razzak shared eight wickets between themselves to mop up the tail.
Metro seal thrilling derby
Dhaka, who began the day on 65/4, were looking to set Metro a competitive target but only managed to post 115 before losing all of their wickets.
Metro’s Sharifullah was the tormentor in chief, taking four wickets.
In reply, Metro did chase down their target of 91 but it was anything but an assured ride as they lost seven wickets.
The Dhaka bowlers scalped wickets at regular intervals and were it not for Mahmudullah’s unbeaten 45, Metro would have plunged into deeper trouble.
Metro’s left-arm spinner Mosharraf Hossain took four wickets but 91 proved to be too little a target in the end.
Tame draw in the port-city
Barisal added just one run to their overnight first-innings tally of 345/9, thus giving Chittagong a healthy lead of 121 runs.
In their second essay, Chittagong registered 52 without loss and in the process extended their lead to 173 runs but it mattered little as the match eventually petered out in a draw.
Sylhet and Rajshahi follow Chittagong-Barisal script
Just like the Chittagong-Barisal tie, the Sylhet-Rajshahi encounter too ended in a tame draw as the fourth innings did not even begin.
Resuming yesterday on 14/0, Sylhet eventually managed 267/7 in their second innings with captain Alok Kapali top-scoring with 93.
Sylhet were leading by 215 runs with three second-innings wickets remaining.
