A brilliant century from Mohammad Ashraful and an unbeaten half-century by Rajin Saleh brought Bangladesh A back into their second match of the Patron's Trophy against Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) at the Karachi National Stadium yesterday.
Ashraful showed definite signs of returning to form with a superb 108 and Rajin was three runs short of his own hundred as the visitors reached 235 for four in their second innings, a lead of 131, when the stumps were on the penultimate third day.
Ashraful and Rajin got the act together after the home side scored 327 and captured three quick tourist wickets.
Opener Hannan Sarker was out for a duck while his partner Shahriar Hossain, who scored 84 in the first knock, made only 6. One-down Jamaluddin soon followed them after making 5.
But the innings prosper after that as Ashraful and Rajin put on 184 runs for the fourth wicket that not only ensured Bangladesh A wipe out the deficit but also placed them in a position of strength.
The pair batted for three hours and 18 minutes and faced 306 balls for the brilliant partnership after they conceded a 104-run deficit on the first innings in the morning.
The stand was brought to an end when Ashraful, the youngest Test centurion of the world, was dismissed on 108. However, the tourists were able to close the day on a high note thanks to Rajin, who was batting with command with the able support of Ehsanul Haque.
The tourists go into the final day with an aim to take the lead in excess of 250 and then bowl their hearts out to enforce a result. Otherwise, a draw will come to nothing since the home side ensured a three-point advantage by virtue of first-innings lead.
Earlier, resuming the day on 262 for five, the PTCL added 65 runs before being all out in the face of some fired up bowling from medium pacer Anwar Hossain Monir.
Monir, who took four wickets on the second day, finished with seven for 81 in his 26 overs.
Source