'Hungry' Mehedi bags best haul

Khulna Division wasted no time in getting into the driving seat on the back of Mehedi Hasan Miraz's career-best first-class bowling figures as the national off-spinners' seven-wicket haul helped bundle out Dhaka Division for just 113 on the first day of the title-deciding Tier-1 game in the final round of the National Cricket League at the BKSP-3 ground yesterday.

It was a welcome homecoming for Mehedi after a barren outing in the only Test he had played in South Africa in late September.

Dhaka's batsmen found the going extremely difficult and lost wickets at regular intervals after being asked to bat in overcast conditions on a damp wicket as the game started three hours late due to fog. There were however no complaints from Dhaka skipper Mohammad Sharif when asked whether the pitch was an unplayable one.

Rakibul Hasan's 28 was the highest score for the batting side as Mehedi ended with figures of seven for 24 from 11.4 overs while fast bowling sensation Mustafizur Rahman also picked up two wickets in his five-over opening spell.

In reply, Anamul Haque (12) and Soumya Sarkar (11) made a cautious start as Khulna ended the first day on 23 without loss and with a first-innings deficit of 90.

"The wicket was soft and the overcast, foggy condition helped me as I was able to grip the ball and also got a lot of turn from the pitch. Interestingly, this was my first NCL game since my international debut [October 2016] but there was a hunger inside me. When I got a wicket after 70 overs [66 in the first South Africa Test, four yesterday] today [Wednesday] I was relieved and gained confidence as the game progressed," Mehedi told the Daily Star yesterday.

In the other Tier-1 game Sohag Gazi was dismissed just one run short of his eighth first-class century against Rangpur as Barisal ended the first day on 280 for six in Chittagong.

Gazi becomes the fifth batsman in the ongoing NCL to fall in the nervous nineties when he went for a checked pull shot to left-arm pacer Sajedul Islam but only managed to top-edge to Nasir Hossain at short mid-wicket after scoring 99 off 104 balls with 13 fours and a six.

Nuruzzaman and Al Amin struck fifties for Barisal while pacer Subashis Roy and leg-spinner Tanbir Hayder took two wickets for Rangpur.

In the day's only game that started on time, Chittagong were all out for 215 after being asked to bat by hosts Sylhet in the Tier-2 game with Yasir Ali top-scoring with 81 off 136 balls with 12 fours. Opener Sadikur Rahman added 46 while pacer Abul Hasan and left-arm spinner Enamul Haque bagged three each.

Sylhet however were in a spot of bother and ended the day on 54 for thee and will resume the second day 161 behind.

In the other Tier-2 game, Dhaka Metro finished the day on 210 for four against hosts Rajshahi. Opener Sadman Islam top-scored with 75 off 121 balls with 11 fours and two sixes while skipper Marshall Ayub added 67. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam bagged three wickets while Mohammad Ashraful (22) and Mehrab Hossain (22) will resume the second day.