Shamsur slams double, Forhad, Imrul, Mithun hit hundreds
Shamsur Rahman scored an unbeaten double-hundred and Imrul Kayes had an unbeaten century of his own as the duo staked their claims for a regular national team place in the Bangladesh Cricket League at Savar on Monday. Shamsur opened the batting and was not out on 229 at the end of day two as Walton Central Zone reached 429-6 in reply to Islami Bank East Zone’s first innings 303 at BKSP-2.
In the other match at BKSP-3, Imrul was 127 not out at the close of play and Mohammad Mithun added 107 for Prime Bank South Zone, who reached 289-3 after BCB North Zone scored 421.
Shamsur and Imrul, who batted at number three for South Zone, are two candidates to open the innings for the Tigers alongside mainstay Tamim Iqbal. Anamul Haque, also a contender for the position, opened for South Zone ahead of Imrul but scored just three runs.
At BKSP-3, North Zone added 90 to their overnight score of 331-8, with 77 of those runs coming from Forhad Reza, who was finally dismissed for 153 off 153 balls to end the innings. Forhad hit 22 fours and six sixes, almost single-handedly keeping the innings going after his involvement in Nasir Hossain’s run-out for 99 on Sunday had left North Zone at 309-7.
Sohag Gazi dismissed Taijul Islam for his second wicket before Abdur Razzak got Forhad caught behind for his third.
South Zone’s innings got off to a shaky start when Anamul fell to Forhad Reza in the fourth over, but Soumya Sarker (42) and Imrul put on 62 for the second wicket before a massive 220-run stand between wicketkeeper Mithun and Imrul left the side in good stead at stumps.
Taijul and Saqlain Sajib also picked up a wicket each for North Zone.
At BKSP-2, East Zone added just two runs to their day one 301-9 when play resumed in the morning before Shahid dismissed number 11 Enamul Haque Jr to pick up his second wicket.
Central Zone came out and looked to attack, scoring 61 before opener Shahriar Nafees fell to Yasin Arafat for 23 in just the sixth over.
Marshal Ayub fell soon after, and two quick wickets from Alauddin Babu saw Central Zone teetering at 122-4. When Roqibul
Hassan fell for 22 to leave the side on 185-5, it seemed Shamsur, who had meanwhile raced to his hundred off just 86 deliveries, might be in danger of running out of partners.
However, wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan joined him and took over the attacking role, scoring 94 during the pair’s 155-run sixth-wicket stand in just 81 balls before getting stumped off Alok Kapali.
Elias Sunny (32 not out) came in and helped add another 89 to the total to see Central Zone to stumps and Shamsur to a rare double-hundred scored in one day. The opener had 24 fours and seven sixes in his remarkable 260-ball effort.
A number of East Zone bowlers took some stick as Central Zone scored at over five-an-over on the day. Alauddin took 2-84 but went for seven-an-over, while Mashrafee bin Murtaza conceded 6.33 per over to finish with 1-76.
Brief scores
Stumps, Day 2
BCB North Zone v Prime Bank South Zone
BCB North Zone 1st innings 421-all out in 107.5 overs (Forhad 153, Nasir 99, Forhad Hossain 76, Robiul 3-44, Razzak 3-105, Gazi 2-98) v Prime Bank South Zone 1st innings 289-3 in 70 overs (Imrul 127 not out, Mithun 107, Soumya 42)
Walton Central Zone v Islami Bank East Zone
Islami Bank East Zone 1st innings 303-all out in 91.4 overs (Liton 79, Nazim 57, Mahmudullah 4-67, Marshal 2-32, Shahid 2-36, Shahadat 2-56) v Walton Central Zone 1st innings 429-6 in 85 overs (Shamsur 229 not out, Nurul 94, Alauddin 2-84)
-With New Age input
