Kayes-Ziaur blitz lifts Khulna to win

A breathtaking fifth-wicket partnership between Imrul Kayes and Ziaur Rahman handed Khulna Division a six-wicket win over Barisal Division in what turned out to be extra time in the match. The pair took their team home with a 122-run unbroken stand in just 10.1 overs to finish the chase at 4:48pm, 14 minutes after the mandatory final hour ended at 4:34pm at the BKSP-2 ground.

They came together in the 53rd over when Mohammad Mithun got out. Imrul ended up with his second century of the match, unbeaten on 127 off 183 balls with nine fours and four sixes. Ziaur slammed seven sixes and two fours in his 31-ball 65.

Barisal batted first and were bowled out for 271 with Khulna captain Abdur Razzak taking 8 for 100 in 29 overs. For Barisal, Shahriar Nafees, Fazle Mahmud and Al-Amin struck fifties.

Imrul led Khulna's reply through his 166 off 293 with the help of 26 fours and three sixes. Sohag Gazi took five wickets in his first competitive match since having his illegal bowling action tested in Chennai last month.

Barisal were behind by 119 but Nafees' career-best 219 made sure they went into the final day full of hope. Nafees struck 32 boundaries in his 307-ball innings, having also shared a 238-run second-wicket stand with Mahmud, who made his second half-century in the match. Barisal were bowled out for 402 after they batted 24 overs on the final day.

Razzak finished with 11 wickets, the sixth time he had taken 10 or more in a match.

Khulna started the 284-run chase poorly, losing both openers before the tenth over was completed. Imrul added 45 runs with Tushar Imran for the third wicket, quite slowly too. He added another 93 with Mithun for the fourth wicket, picking up the pace before launching into the Barisal attack with Ziaur and winning the game with no time to spare.

Abdul Mazid and Rony Talukdar set up Dhaka Division's innings-and-24-run rout of Dhaka Metropolis, their second consecutive win in the National Cricket League.

Mazid struck his maiden double-hundred and was adjudged the man of the match while Rony continued his good form with another century. They added 314 runs on the first day, the first triple-century opening partnership in Bangladesh's domestic history, after Dhaka Metro put them into bat. They were only separated in the 74th over when Elias Sunny dismissed Rony for 163 off 224, with 18 fours and two sixes.

Mazid reached his double-century next day although wickets fell regularly at the other end. On 253, left-arm quick Abu Haider struck Mazid on his front elbow. The batsman retired hurt, and ultimately couldn't restart his innings. He had struck 26 fours and two sixes in his 383-ball knock.

Mohammad Shahid and Sunny took four wickets each but that was as good as it got for Dhaka Metro, who were bowled out for 90 in their reply. Shuvagata Hom took five wickets while legspinner Jubair Hossain picked up four wickets.

Asked to follow-on after a deficit of 435, Dhaka Metro batted better in the second innings. Six of their batsmen - Shamsur Rahman, captain Marshall Ayub, Mehrab Hossain jnr, Asif Ahmed, wicketkeeper Zabid Hossain and Abu Haider - scored fifties.

But they fell short of making Dhaka Division bat again. Jubair took four more wickets to finish with 8 for 166.

Rajshahi Division bounced back with a nine-wicket win over Chittagong Division after a 285-run defeat in their first match against Dhaka Metropolis.

Rajshahi allrounder Muktar Ali was adjudged man of the match for his 96 and second-innings five-wicket haul, both having maximum impact on the course of the match.

Batting first, Chittagong were bowled out for 209 with only Irfan Sukkur hitting 55. Allrounder Farhad Reza took his fifth five-wicket haul in first-class cricket while Saqlain Sajib took three wickets.

Rajshahi were shepherded by Junaid Siddique who made his fifth first-class century but was dismissed for 113, leaving them with a slender lead of 22 runs with three wickets in hand.

That is when Muktar and Sanjamul Islam stepped in, adding 166 for the eighth wicket. Muktar made 96 off 129 with 12 fours and four sixes. Sanjamul struck 89 off 144 with 13 fours, the pair helping Rajshahi to 411 all out in 105.2 overs.

Chittagong offspinner Iftekhar Sajjad took 8 for 112 in only his second first-class match.

But the Chittagong batsman weren't inspired by Sajjad's performance, and were bowled out for 298 in the second innings. Jasimuddin and captain Nazimuddin made fifties but Muktar's five-for and Shafiul Islam's four-wicket haul kept the game in Rajshahi's control.

They needed only 97 to win on the final day, which they achieved in 25.4 overs. Maisuqur Rahman's unbeaten 61 ensured the quick finish.

Sylhet Division drew with Rangpur Division at the BKSP-3 ground.

Batting first, Rangpur were all out for 367 with fifties from Tanveer Haider and Mahmudul Hasan. Enamul Haque jnr took 5 for 107 from 36 overs, his 30th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.

Sylhet were 45 for 4 in the 12th over in their reply, before Alok Kapali and Rumman Ahmed added 103 for the fifth wicket. Kapali made 81 while later, Nazmul Hossain Milon scored 51 to take the total to 261, still 106 adrift of Rangpur.

Litton Das' third first-class century helped Rangpur extend their lead, taking them to 301 for 8 in 54 overs. Litton had made 150 in their previous game's second innings as well.

Rahatul Ferdous, Rajin Saleh, Kapali and Milon struck fifties as Sylhet reached 326 for 6, in 87 overs, chasing 408.