Khulna Division sensed the chance of clinching the National bCricket League (NCL), after tightening the noose against Dhaka Division on day three of the sixth and last round of the National Cricket League’s Tier-1 game at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna on Monday.
Khulna needs just a draw in this round to win the trophy but showing a determined performance they took the stranglehold of the game after reducing Dhaka to 102-5 in their second innings. That gave Dhaka only two runs lead with five wickets remaining in their second knock.
Resuming the day on 252-3, Khulna earlier was bowled out for 379, taking a 100 run first innings lead. Skipper Nurul Hasan Sohan led the way with an unbeaten 150 off 227, smacking 13 fours and seven sixes. Veteran Tushar Imran scored 82 runs.
The duo shared 143 run for the fourth wicket stand to lay the solid platform. After the dismissal of Tushar, Nurul Hasan single-handedly drove the side towards huge lead even though the late order couldn’t fare well.
Dhaka stumbled in the second innings with medium pacer Ziaur Rahman slicing the top-order and returned figures of 3-23. Raqibul Hasan was batting 39 with Mohammad Arafat on 9.
In other Tier-1 game at Shaheed Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi, Rangpur Division took a 248-run lead with four wickets remaining against Rajshahi Division.
Ariful Haque’s career-best 6-41 gave Rangpur the advantage indeed. Rajshahi who looked on their way to take a lead first innings lead, was crushed by Ariful and was dismissed for 254, conceding 20 runs lead. Skipper Farhad Hossain was the highest scorer with 75 while Junaid Siddique made 37.
Ariful Haque also contributed with batting as he struck 48 runs. However Tanbir Hyder was batting on 72 as Rangpur looked set to win the game.
Marshall Ayub and Shamsur Rahman Shuvo, both struck centuries as Dhaka Metro dominated Barishal Division at Barishal Cricket Stadium.
Shuvo scored 109 while Marshall made 103 as Dhaka Metro amassed 466 in their first innings, taking a 52-run lead.
Barishal who was bowled out for 414 in its first innings, tasted a top-order collapse in second innings to be reduced to 30-3 before the bails were drawn for day three. They are still trailing by 22 runs.
