Kalabagan break Agrani Bank

Tasamul Haque and Mohammad Ashraful hit centuries to propel Kalabagan Krira Chakra to their second win from seven games in the Dhaka Premier League at the BKSP-3 ground in Savar yesterday.

Opener Tasamul struck 106 and Ashraful scored an unbeaten 102, the third century from the disgraced former Bangladesh captain since his return to the domestic circuit after serving a three-year fixing ban, as Kalabagan chased down Agrani Bank's fighting 252 with eight balls to spare and five wickets standing.

The pair added 188 runs for the second wicket before Tasamul departed after hitting a dozen boundaries in his 115-ball knock. Ashraful's unbeaten 136-ball innings contained 10 boundaries. Taibur Rahman finished the chase in style, hitting two massive sixes against pacer Shafiul Islam in the penultimate over as Kalabagan reached 256 for five in 48.4 overs.

Earlier, the Agrani Bank total was built around a nervous 99 from opener Shahriar Nafees and a 58 by Azim. The two openers put on 128 runs. But once Nafees was out in the 41st over, leaving the score at 197 for four, the bankers failed to prosper. Left-handed Nafees struck 14 boundaries and a six in his 125-ball knock. It was Agrani Bank's fifth defeat in seven games. Akbar ur Rahman picked up three wickets for 34 runs for Kalabagan.

At the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, promotees Shinepukur CC pulled off a thrilling last-ball victory against Legends of Rupganj.

Chasing Legends' 268 for three, which was built around Mohammad Naim's 130-ball 93 and Indian Parvez Rasool's blistering 66-ball 88 not out, Shinepukur needed six runs off the last over with two wickets standing. But number 10 batsman Raihan Uddin hit two boundaries, including a last-ball four after Mohammad Saifuddin was run out off the fifth delivery of Mohammad Shahid while chasing a tight single, to seal Shinepukur's fourth win in seven outings.

However, it was opener Sadman Islam and Indian Uday Kaul who laid the platform for the victory with a 121-run stand for the fourth wicket after they were limping at 62 for 3. Sadman scored a polished 95 off 116 balls studded with eight fours, while left-handed Kaul hit 61 off 70 balls that featured four fours and a six.

At the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah, Khelaghar SKS beat Brothers Union by three wickets in a low-scoring affair.

Sent in to bat, Brothers were bowled out for 187 in 46 overs with Alok Kapali standing in the ruins with 66 runs which featured six fours and a six. Sohrawardi Shuvo, with 33, was the other notable contributor in the below-par total. Hasan Mahmud with three for 24 was the pick of the Khelaghar bowlers.

Khelaghar, in their chase got off to a very slow start with their openers Sadikur Rahman (35) and Rafsan Al Mahmud (30) putting on 67 runs in 17 overs. They suffered a mini-collapse after that and were reduced to 99 for 4 in the 28th over before a 60-run stand for the fifth wicket between Ashok Al Menaira (55) and  Moinul Islam (22) guided them close to victory. Indian Menaira struck three fours and a six in his match-winning 77-ball innings. With this win, Khelaghar joined Shinepukur in third position, behind leaders Abahani and second-placed Prime Doleshwar, who have five wins against Abahani's six at the end of the seventh round of the country's List A competition.