National team stalwart Nasir Hossain was the star on the first day of the Bangladesh Cricket League but saw his innings cut short by a run-out on 99 at the BKSP at Savar on Sunday.
Nasir’s BCB North Zone side were on 331-8 at stumps on the first day of their four-day match against Prime Bank South Zone at BKSP-3. Meanwhile, Tamim Iqbal’s Islami Bank East Zone team posted 301-9 against Walton Central Zone on day one of their match at BKSP-2.
North Zone, sent in to bat by South Zone skipper Abdur Razzak at BKSP-3, found themselves on the back-foot when opener Junaid Siddique departed for a duck in the third over with the score on one.
Number three Forhad Hossain scored 76 to consolidate the innings, putting on 78 with Naeem Islam for the third wicket to take North Zone to 120 before the latter fell for 24. North Zone captain and national skipper Mushfiqur Rahim soon followed, registering a duck off four deliveries to bring Nasir to the crease at 121-4.
Two more wickets in the next 10 overs saw North Zone struggling at 168-6, but Nasir and new batsman Forhad Reza punished the South Zone bowlers for 141 in just over 20 overs to take the total to 309, with Nasir racing to 99 off 93 balls before being run out.
Nasir dabbed a Soumya Sarker delivery to point in the 84th over and the batsmen attempted an ill-advised run. Shuvagata Hom collected the ball and returned it to the bowler as the batsmen hesitated, leaving Nasir agonisingly short of the first hundred in this year’s competition.
Soumya bowled Nazmul Hossain for a duck two overs later, but North Zone avoided any further damage and ended the day at 331-8, with Forhad Reza still at the crease on 76 off 88 balls.
Robiul Islam Shiblu was the pick of the South Zone bowlers, dismissing three of North Zone’s top four to finish the day with 3-35. Abdur Razzak took 2-86.
At BKSP-2, wicketkeeper Liton Kumar scored 79 runs and opener Nazim Uddin added 57 for East Zone, headlining an innings that saw a number of batsmen get starts but fail to keep going as their side’s day ended on 301-9.
Captain Tamim scored 37 in a 68-run opening stand with Nazim, Mominul Haque twice hit Shahadat Hossain for three consecutive fours in his 24-ball 32, and Jubayer Ahmed scored 33 in a 77-run sixth-wicket partnership with Liton. Alok Kapali chipped in with 24.
Mashrafee bin Murtaza, making a return to the longer-format of the game, became Central Zone captain Mahmudullah’s fourth victim of the day when he was dismissed for a three-ball duck in the 80th over.
Mahmudullah finished day one with 4-67, while Marshal Ayub and Shahadat Hossain picked up two wickets each.
Brief scores
Stumps, Day 1
BCB North Zone v
Prime Bank South Zone
BCB North Zone 1st innings 331-8 in 90 overs ( Nasir 99, Forhad Reza 76 not out, Forhad Hossain 76, Johurul 32; Robiul 3-35, Razzak 2-86) v Primer Bank South Zone.
Walton Central Zone v
Islami Bank East Zone
Islami Bank East Zone 1st innings 301-9 in 90.2 overs (Liton 79, Nazimuddin 57,Tamim 37, Jubayer 33, Mominul 32; Mahmudullah 4-67, Marshal 2-32, Shahadat 2-54) v Walton Central Zone.
-With New Age input
