Rangpur retains top spot in NCL Tier-1

DHAKA - All of the two matches of the Tier-1 of
Bangabandhu National Cricket League (NCL) ended in a draw today at two venues
of the BKSP ground.

   Tanbir Hyder starred in drawn the match between league leader Rangpur
Division and Dhaka Division at BKSP-4 ground. The Rangpur allrounder took
four wickets in the match and scored 45 runs in the only innings of his side.

  Despite the draw, Rangpur retained the top spot ahead of the final round
game with 28.89 points.   In the rain-marred game, Dhaka, who were put in to
bat first, amassed 371 with Nadif Chowdhury hitting 82 and Shuvagata Hom
making 76.

   Both of them are fluent in their knock as they tried to inject life into
the match which lost the entire day one due to rain.   Rangpur Division,
eying their third victory in the fifth game, also was positive to bring the
result as they declared their innings on 22-6. Nasir Hossain was the top
scorer with 49 while Artiful Haque made 47 before Tanbir added 45.   

  But the time didn't allow any team to win the game with Dhaka ending the
fourth and final day on 156-3. Opener Abdul Mazid struck 61 and Rony Talukdar
chipped-in with 50.

   At BKSP-4 ground, fast bowler Al-Amin Hossain hogged the limelight with a
match figure of 9-116 in the drawn match between defending champions Khulna
and Sylhet.   After the entire day, one lost to rain, Al-Amin's firework put
Khulna on top when they wrapped up Sylhet's first innings for just 132. Al-
Amin ended this innings with 5-34.

   Thanks to Nahidul Islam's 64 and Soumya Sarkar's 57, Khulna put up 183 in
the first innings and took a 51-run lead to raise the prospect of winning the
game.

   But Sylhet bounced back in style in the second innings to salvage a draw
as they compiled 294 in the second innings thanks to Amite Hasan's 63 and
Jaker Ali's 50. That set a 244-run target for Khulna but the match was at the
business end by then as Khulna reached 13-1 before the bails were drawn for
the final day.