Gazi Tank Cricketers rose to the top of the Dhaka Premier League standings with 10 points after overcoming Prime Bank Cricket Club by three wickets at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra on Saturday.
Elsewhere, Victoria Sporting Club pipped Sheikh Jamal DC to a close six-run win away at the Shaheed Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi in the other match of the day.
Gazi Tanks v Prime Bank
Asked to bat first after losing the toss, Prime Bank could garner only 191-8 in their 50 overs.
Prime Bank were in early trouble as Gazi Tanks’ opening bowler Jacob Oram initiated an early collapse of wickets. Prime Bank lost half their side for 75 runs inside the 23rd over.
They eventually finished their innings on 191, lead by the recovery effort of Taiabur Parvez, who struck 63 runs off 86 balls.
Former New Zealand all-rounder Oram took 3-28 in nine overs while left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny sent back two Prime Bank batsmen conceding 30 runs in 10 overs.
In reply, Gazi Tanks nearly made a meal of their chase from a comfortable position of 4-164. They lost three wickets in quick succession but held on for the victory that propelled them to the top of the points table.
Rakibul Hasan (55) and Ashar Zaidi (68) shared a 114-run stand for the fourth wicket to make the job easier for Gazi Tanks.
Prime Bank’s English all-rounder Ravi Bopara scalped 3-33 in 10 overs but he lacked support from the other end as Gazi Tanks reached their target with 10 balls to spare.
Zaidi was adjudged the man of the match.
Victoria v Sheikh Jamal
Upon being asked to bat first after losing the toss, Victoria posted 251 losing all of their wickets in 46.2 overs.
Lasith Abeyratne (59) and Jubayer Ahmed (89) lead the way for Victoria with Sheikh Jamal’s Gulbadin Naib and Nahidul Islam picking up two wickets each.
Sheikh Jamal finished six runs short in pursuit of 252, despite the valiant effort of Zimbabwe all-rounder Elton Chigumbura, who smashed 91 runs off 94 deliveries.
Junaid Siddiqui (48) and Nahidul (47) chipped in with their contributions but Victoria held their nerve to get the better of Sheikh Jamal at the end.
Victoria’s new ball bowlers Robiul Islam (4-50) and Mohammad Sharif (2-70) shared six wickets between them while Monir Hossain and Saker Ahmed took two wickets each to thwart Sheikh Jamal’s chase at regular intervals as they were dismissed in 49.1 overs.
Jubayer was awarded the man of the match trophy.
BRIEF SCORES
Victoria SC v Sheikh Jamal DC
Victoria SC 251 in 46.2 overs (J Ahmed 89 not out, L Abeyratne 59, RA Mamun 23; N Islam 2-29, G Naib 2-47) v Sheikh Jamal DC 245 in 49.1 overs (E Chigumbura 91, J Siddique 48, N Islam 47; Shiblu 4-50, M Hossain 2-22, S Ahmed 2-29, Md Sharif 2-70).
Result: Victoria SC won by 6 runs.
Man of the match: J Ahmed (VSC).
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Gazi Tank Cricketers v Prime Bank CC
Prime Bank CC 191-8 in 50 overs (T Parvez 63, R Bopara 26, M Hasan 26 not out; J Oram 3-28, A Sunny 2-30) v Gazi Tank Cricketers 192-7 in 48.2 overs (A Zaidi 68, R Hasan 55, R Islam 21; R Bopara 3-33).
Result: Gazi Tank Cricketers won by 3 wickets.
Man of the match: A Zaidi (GTC).
-With New Age input
