League leaders Abahani Ltd made a winning start beating their arch-rivals Mohammedan SC by 3 wickets in a six-team super league battle of the Walton Refrigerator Dhaka Premier Division Cricket at Khan Saheb Osmani Ali Stadium in Fatullah on Wednesday.
In the other opening day matches, 4th ranked Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club notched a massive 9-wicket victory over 3rd ranked Kalabagan Cricket Academy riding on an opening stand of 214 runs in 36.2 overs while 2nd ranked Prime Bank Cricket Club beat defending champions and 5th ranked Legends of Rupganj by 84 runs.
Abahani vs Mohammedan SC
Batting first after winning the toss in the day’s match, Mohammedan SC scored 240 runs for 7 in 50 overs spurred by a century of 109 runs by number six Ariful Haque.
Mohammedan faced early jolt losing three top order batsmen-Ejaz Ahmed (19), Tanvir Haider (0) and Md Mithun (2) — for 34 runs in 5.5 overs while number five Rahmat Shah also returned to the pavilion with a duck with team score at 38 in 8.1 overs.
However, in the fifth wicket stand, number six Ariful Haque pairing with number four Naeem Islam contributed 121 runs in 33 overs to carry the team total to 159 for 5 in 41.1 overs before Naeem Islam was run out scoring 51 runs off 98 balls.
Ariful Haque made his century of 109 runs off 137 balls with 11 fours and a six. Skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza was the other double digit scorer for the side scoring 38 runs off 27 balls with a four and three sixes.
Shubhashish Roy grabbed four wickets for 56 runs while Ziaur Rahman and Nasir Hossain took one wicket each for 32 and 34 runs respectively, all bowled 10 overs.
Chasing 241 for win, Abahani reached the target losing 7 wickets in 49.4 overs guided by number five Nasir Hossain who hit team highest unbeaten 82 runs off 69 balls with five fours and five sixes.
In the beginning, Abahani lost the opening pair of Liton Kumar (2) and Abdul Majid (27) at 33 for 2 in 8.3 overs.
In the third wicket stand, number four Forhad Hossain partnering with Rakibul Hasan repaired the early damage contributing 77 runs in 19.3 overs to carry the team total to 111 for 3 in 28 overs.
Forhad Hossain scored 59 runs off 96 balls with six fours and a six while Rakibul Hasan (29), Chamara Silva (25) and skipper Ziaur Rahman (10) were the other double digit scorers for the side.
Mashrafe Bin Mortaza claimed three wickets for 42 runs in 10 overs while Murad Khan and Rahmat Shah took one wicket each for 38 and 61 runs respectively in 10 and 8.4 overs.
Prime Doleshwar SC vs Kalabagan CA
Sent in to bat first at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur,, Kalabagan Cricket Academy scored a moderate 262 for 9 in 50 overs.
Number six Sabbir Rumman hit team highest 75 runs off 53 balls with six fours and four sixes. Opening batsman Nafees Iqbal scored 70 runs off 110 balls with five fours while Sharif (30) Mehedi Hasan Miraz (30), Nazmul Hossain (18) and skipper Anamul Haque (10) were the other double digit scorers for the side.
Delwar Hossain captured four wickets for 41 runs while Shafiul Islam grabbed two wickets for 55 runs, both bowled 9 overs. Asif Ahmed and Arafat Sunny took one wicket each for 17 and 56 runs respectively in 7 and 10 overs.
Number two Rony Talukdar hit an unbeaten century scoring run-a-ball 132 with 14 fours and five sixes.
Opener Mehedi Maruf made another century scoring 106 runs off 113 balls with seven fours and five sixes before caught by Nafees Iqbal off Mehedi Hasan Miraz. Mominul Haque was the other scorer on not out 17 runs.
Prime Bank CC vs Legends of Rupganj
At BKSP ground-3 in Savar, Prime Bank CC batted first after winning the toss and amassed 304 runs for 7 in 50 overs.
Prime Bank CC started well as their opening pair-Soumya Sarker and Saikat Ali-scored 82 runs in 17.5 overs.
Opening batsman Soumya Sarker scored team highest 81 runs off 90 balls with five fours and four sixes.
In the fourth wicket stand, Talina Kandambi partnering with skipper Mahmudullah contributed 99 runs in 16.3 overs, to carry the team total to 250 runs for 4 in 45.3 overs.
Talina Kandambi hit 71 runs off 49 balls with five fours and four sixes while Mahmudullah scored 52 runs 58 balls with four fours and a six.
Saikat Ali scored 42 runs off 57 runs with six fours while Taiabur Parvez (29) and Shadman Islam (14) were the other notable scorers for the side.
Azhar Zaidi and Sharif Ullah grabbed two wickets each for 47 and 55 runs respectively in 10 and 9 overs. Faisal Hossain, Mosharraf Hossain and Shakib Al Hasan took one wicket apiece for 8, 27 and 65 runs respectively in 1, 5 and 10 overs.
Chasing mammoth 305 runs, Legends of Rupganj were all out for 220 in 43 overs. Number three Abul Hasan scored the team highest 72 runs off 80 balls with three fours and six sixes.
Besides, number five Azhar Zaidi scored 41 runs off 46 balls with two fours and a six while skipper Shakib Al Hasan (31), Alok Kapali (17), Faisal Hossain (16), Nazmul Milon (15) and opener Jahurul Islam (11) were the other double digit scorers for the side.
Forhad Reza grabbed three wickets for 56 runs in 9 overs while Soumya Sarker and Shuvagata Hom took two wickets each for 30 and 53 runs respectively in 5 and 7 overs. Taijul Islam, Mahmudullah and Taskin Ahmed took one wicket apiece for 25, 31 and 32 runs respectively in 5, 10 and 7 overs.
In the 2nd round super league matches on Saturday (Dec 27), Abahani Limited will meet Legends of Rupganj at Fatullah; Prime Bank CC will face Prime Doleshwar SC in Mirpur; Kalabagan Cricket Academy will play Mohammedan SC at BKSP ground-3 in Savar.
In the 3rd round matches on Tuesday (Dec 30), Abahani Limited will take on Prime Doleshwar SC in Mirpur; Prime Bank CC will face Kalabagan CA at Fatullah; and Legends of Rupganj will meet Mohammedan SC at BKSP ground-3 in Savar.
