Local giants Abahani Limited registered a rare win when they defeated defending champions Victoria Sporting Club in the eighth round of the Dhaka Premier League on Thursday with Prime Bank Cricket Club and Gazi Tank Cricketers also posting handsome victories.
Abahani saw off Victoria by four wickets at BKSP -3 at Savar while Prime Bank and Gazi Tanks romped to 166-run and nine-wicket wins against Kalabagan Cricket Academy and Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club respectively.
Abahani v Victoria
As the premier limited-over competition of the country resumed after the Eid-ul-Azha break, English all-rounder Luke Wright inspired Abahani to only their first win after Cricket Coaching School were ejected from the tournament by the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis.
CCS arrived late for their game against Brothers Union on October 8 at Fatullah and hence, all the results and net run rate against CCS were declared null and void.
Asked to bat first, Victoria scored only 234-8 in their 50 overs despite a 152-run stand for the opening wicket between Soumya Sarker (68) and Rasel Al Mamun (76).
Wright scalped 3-33 in his five overs while he was ably supported by Al Amin, who took 3-39 in nine overs.
In reply, Abahani reached 235 runs losing six wickets in 47.4 overs, with player-of-the-match Wright again showing the way with a 49-ball 66 studded with eight fours and a six.
Prime Bank v Kalabagan CA
Away at the Shaheed Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi, Prime Bank made merry of the Kalabagan bowlers to pile up 353-3 in their stipulated 50 overs.
Twin centuries from Saikat Ali (103) and Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor (100 not out) along with a brisk 71-ball 79 by England all-rounder Ravi Bopara propelled Prime Bank to a commanding total.
Taylor was in an unforgiving mood, blasting his way to an unbeaten hundred in just 44 balls with the help of as many as 14 boundaries and three sixes.
Bopara struck a dozen fours while Saikat smashed 10 boundaries and three sixes off the helpless Kalabagan bowlers.
In pursuit of Prime Bank’s huge total, Kalabagan were all out for 188 in 44.4 overs, falling short by 166 runs.
Taylor was adjudged as the man-of-the-match.
Gazi Tanks v Sheikh Jamal
An undefeated 187-run opening wicket partnership by Usman Tarik (105 not out ) and Imrul Kayes (104 not out) guided Gazi Tanks to a nine-wicket win over Sheikh Jamal at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra.
Batting first, Sheikh Jamal rode on a 132-run opening stand between Jahirul Islam (89) and Junaid Siddiqui (60) before being dismissed for 225 in 47.1 overs.
Riding on the back of Tariq and Kayes, Gazi Tanks cantered to their target in 36.1 overs losing just a single wicket.
Kayes was awarded the man-of-the-match trophy.
-With New Age input
