Farhad Hossain stars in Rajshahi win

Away at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong were upturned by a spirited Rajshahi by eight wickets, thanks to captain Farhad Reza, who picked up five second-innings wickets to help bowl out the home side for only 155 runs.

After Chittagong made 378 in the first innings, Rajshahi took a 75-run lead thanks to Farhad Hossain's double century. Faisal Hossain battled for Chiattagong in the second innings, making 71 off 112 balls, but it was not enough for the southeastern division. Rajshahi needed only 83 for the win and they completed the task in 19.2 overs, with Mizanur Rahman hammering an unbeaten half-century.

Dhaka Metropolis continued their excellent start when they beat Barisal by 237 runs in the third round of the National Cricket League at the Sylhet Stadium. After their victories over Rajshahi and Dhaka, they completed a hat-trick of wins on their return to the first-class competition by crushing a depleted Barisal side that was missing on national and A team duties.

Set a mammoth 516 for a win after Dhaka had extended their first-innings lead by an additional 185 runs, Barisal battled haplessly on the final day as they were bowled out for 278 in 96.1 overs. Nuruzzaman struck an unbeaten 88 while Salman Hossain scored 48. For Dhaka, fast bowler Tareq Aziz took three wickets while Arafat Salahuddin and Mohammad Ashraful picked up two each.

Two games ended on the first day with Sylhet breaking their five-year first-class duck by beating Rangpur by an innings and 173 runs at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium. It was also their first win by an innings since 2002. Riding on Rajin Saleh's 132 in the first innings, Sylhet bowled out Rangpur for 138 and 112 respectively, with Abu Jayed picking up nine wickets in the game. The win would do a lot of good to the division's psyche as they have been the whipping boys of NCL.

In the other game that ended inside three days, Khulna beat Dhaka by 91 runs in Jessore. Dhaka were always behind the eight-ball after conceding a 66-run lead to Khulna in the first innings after Abdur Razzak picked up four wickets for the southwestern division. Set a 286-run target, Dhaka struggled as Kulna, minus Razzak, whose mother died on Monday evening, skittled them for 194. Left-arm spinner Taposh Ghosh took five for 51, with only Taibur Rahman scoring a fifty.

The teams now go on Eid vacation and will return on November 12.