GrameenPhone near super six
Biddut struck maiden century in CCL
Sports Correspondent
Shahriar Hossain Biddut struck the first century in the GrameenPhone Corporate Cricket League for the sponsors GrameenPhone on their way to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Gazi Tank Cricketers at Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS) on Thursday.
Earlier, the country’s cell phone giants suffered a shocking three-wicket defeat to Biman in their last match on Tuesday.
The victory set the winners on verge to qualify for the super six as they secured seven points, winning three matches. The country’s largest cellular network providers lost one point in their first match against BCB Development Squad as the match ended to a surprise-tie.
Biddut hammered a magnificent 107 in his cozy 126-ball innings including nine boundaries and three eye catching sixes.
Put into field first, the GrameenPhone bowlers allowed their opponents to manage 173 for nine in the stipulated 46 overs, and later the openers eased their win by making 152-run partnership for the opening stand. GrameenPhone were 176 for two in 39.4 overs.
The sixth and seventh wicket partnership of 45 and 41 runs respectively settled down the Gazi Tank to the modest total.
Skipper Rashed Rana was the highest scorer for the Gazi Tank with 43 runs. He was followed by Shafiul Alam and Sumon Barua with 42 and 39 runs respectively.
Monjurul Islam, who struck first for the GrameenPhone by removing opener Sanjay Chakrabarti for duck, snatched three wickets for 47. Tamim Bashir and Khaled Mahmud picked up two wickets each for 24 and 43 runs respectively.
Openers Biddut and Anisul Hakim led the GrameenPhone reply with a tense-free motion piling the highest 152-run partnership in the league.
Biddut was caught at the cover to Shamim in his consecutive second attempt to hit six. He succeeded in his first attempt. Anisul Hakim was deprived to a half century as he was trapped into LBW off Murad on his 49. The GrameenPhone will play their last match in the first leg against Bashundhara at BKSP on May 3.
Biman Vs BCB Dev
Biman confirmed their berth in the super six posting consecutive fourth victories in the league after beating the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Development Squad at BKSP in the days other match.
Chosen field first, the winners bowled out the BCB boys for 187 in 48.3 overs by virtue of a fine 77 of the opener Ashraful Islam while they reached the target in 48 overs at cost of seven wickets. The Biman careers were 191. Humayun was the man behind the win for the Biman with his outstanding all-round performance.
He snatched four wickets for 22 runs and scored highest 49 for the team with 49 including seven boundaries. The National flag careers set to face Ispahani in the next match at BNS on May 1.
Ispahani Vs BADC
After two consecutive defeats, the Ispahani posted their second victory in the league beating BADC Krira Sangha by 11 runs in thrilling match at Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium.
Opted to bat first, the Ispahani amassed 231 at cost of eight wickets in their stipulated 47 overs, and later restricted their opponents on 220 for nine in stipulated 47 overs. The umpires cut three overs off from both the innings due to rain.
Arif Ahmed top-scored for the winners with 45 runs and followed by Sohel Hossain with 41. Ismail Islam Mintu of BADC took two wickets for 40 runs. In reply, opener Ismail Islam Mintu scored the maximum for the BADC with 37 runs. Waliullah and Asif Iqbal followed him with 31 and 30 runs respectively.
Raihanuddin Chowdhury grabbed three wickets for 56 runs. Yasin Arafat and Sohel Hossain supported him well with two wickets each for 24 and 30 runs respectively.
Bangladesh Observer
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