In the best all-round display this season, Dollar Mahmud muscled high-flying Abahani into submission in Bangladesh Biman’s one-wicket victory in the Premier Division Super League yesterday.
Dollar obliterated the Sky Blues, who were poised for their tenth win during the Bogra encounter, before tail-ender Talha Jubair smashed Alauddin Babu for a six over mid-wicket to seal the victory.
Shoaib Malik also had an inspiring day, picking up a five-wicket haul in Mohammedan Sporting Club’s 104-run thrashing over Cricket Coaching School.
In the day’s other match, Gazi Tank eased past Old DOHS by eight wickets.
ABAHANI-BIMAN
Before Talha finished up the job, it was Dollar who made all the difference in a fine display of seam bowling as well as tail-end, Powerplay batting.
Coming in at No 9 with Biman staring at certain defeat (109-7) chasing Abahani’s modest 191-run target, the big-hitting Dollar joined wicketkeeper Sajjad Kadir in the 32nd over.
The Abahani bowlers were doing a decent enough job but Dollar first decided to charge at left-arm spinner Saqlain Sajib, twice hitting him for six over mid-on off consecutive balls. He also took sixes off Tapash Baisya and Alaudddin, hammering five in all during his 45-ball 54 that also had a boundary.
Dollar added 59 for the eighth wicket with Sajjad, who chipped in with 20 off 37 balls, but was dismissed just six runs short of the target. Talha, however, finished up the job with two sixes as Biman got their seventh win to move to fifth position with 14 points.
Earlier, Dollar bowled a lively spell to pick up three wickets for 29 from his ten overs as Abahani’s innings also had a similar pattern with the top-score coming from tail-ender Alauddin, who made 57 off 71 balls.
Apart from the half-century, the youngster also took four wickets for 35 games but ended up on the losing side.
MSC-CCS
It was a struggle for the Mohammedan top-order as only Khaled Mashud, opening the innings due to the absence of Tamim Iqbal, made a patient 54 off 81 balls at the BKSP.
The Motijheel outfit later found some important runs when Faisal Hossain hammered six boundaries and a six in his 68-ball 63, reaching a modest 220 in 49.1 overs. Suleiman Khan and Nazmul Hossain Milon took two wickets each.
But the modest total was enough for Mohammedan as the Mohammad Ashraful-less CCS capitulated in only 34.3 overs for 116 runs.
Malik’s off-spin ran through their batting order, after he picked up five wickets for 15 runs in 5.3 overs while Raihanuddin took two wickets.
The victory put Mohammedan just a point behind arch-rivals Abahani.
DOHS-GAZI TANK
At the Shaheed Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi, Gazi Tank moved into third position in the points table, replacing Old DOHS, who lost the game by eight wickets.
Batting first, Old DOHS made only 166 runs in 47.4 overs with the Gazi Tank bowling attack holding sway through their discipline. Mohammad Azim, Sabbir Rahman and Sanjamul Islam took two wickets each while there was one each for Syed Rasel, Rasel Al Mamun, Nasir Hossain and Ali Azmat.
Mohammad Mithun, leading the side in absence of Shahriar Nafees, slammed 79 off 60 balls during the short chase with Aamir Sajjad also providing 51 off 57 balls.
BRIEF SCORES
ABAHANI: 190 all out in 49.4 overs (Alauddin 57, Ranjan 42; Dollar 3-29, Shariful 2-15).
BIMAN: 192-9 in 45.3 overs (Dollar 54, Avishek 42; Alauddin 4-35).
Result: Biman won by 1 wicket.
MSC: 220 all out in 49.1 overs (Mashud 54, Faisal 63; Nazmul 2-7, Suleiman 2-35).
CCS: 116 all out in 34.3 overs (Bashar 20; Malik 5-15).
Result: MSC won by 104 runs.
DOHS: 166 all out in 47.4 overs (Mehrab 40; Azim 2-22).
GAZI TANK: 169-2 in 25 overs (Mithun 79, Aamir 51 not out).
Result: Gazi Tank won by 8 wickets.
