Bowlers do it for Kings again

Chittagong Kings bounced back from a batting collapse to post a massive 54-run win over Dhaka Gladiators, keeping themselves afloat in the Bangladesh Premier League on Saturday.
Kings looked heading towards a disaster when they lost five wickets in the last four overs to add just 12 runs, throwing away a good start to be bowled out for a below-par 142 runs.
But their bowlers did an extra-ordinary job to restrict Sakib al Hasan and Mashrafee bin Murtaza-less Gladiators to 88-9, the lowest by any side in the BPL history.
Kings now leave their home for the next phase in Dhaka with their heads high and semi-final hopes back on track after their third win in the competition and second in a row.
Mohammad Ashraful, who led the Gladiators in the absence of Sakib and Mashrafee, provided the only resistance with 33 from 48 balls, but it was too much for him to overcome the pressure they were put under in the first few overs.
Jacob Oram and Arafat Sunny bowled extremely tight in the first six overs to leave Gladiators at 15-4 and Enamul Haque Jr maintained the pressure in the middle-overs denying the side any chance for a comeback.
Sunny bowled Joshua Cobb for one before Oram had Anamul Haque Jr caught by Ravi Bopara at mid-off off a slower delivery. Owais Shah did no better, flicking the Kiwi to Sunny at mid-wicket and as if it was not enough Darren Stevens was run-out to complete Gladiators’ agony in the first six overs of powerplay.
Ashraful hit Enamul for a six in his first over to release some pressure but the left-arm spinner came back to dismiss Kaushal Lokuarachchi and Alfonso Tomas, flooring the visitors at the turning MA Aziz Stadium.
Earlier, Kings suffered a similar disaster, but thankfully at the end of their innings instead of the start, which gave their bowlers something to fight with.
Brendan Taylor scored 41 from 31 balls to give them a positive start and Naeem Islam continued the momentum with his second half-century raising Kings’ hopes for a big total.
But after the dismissal of Taylor, who is now the leading scorer in the tournament with 249 runs, and Naeem (50 from 38 balls), Kings lost their way.
BRIEF SCORES
Chittagong Kings 142 in 20 overs (N Islam 50, B Taylor 41, RN ten Doeschate 23; AC Thomas 2-11, M Hossain 2-17) v Dhaka Gladiators 88-8 in 20 overs ( M Ashraful 33, M Hossain 16 not out; J Oram 2-7, A Sunny 2-11).
Result: Chittagong Kings won by 54 runs.
Man of the match: Naeem Islam (CK).