Anamul ton leads Khulna to five-wicket win

No. 3 batsman Anamul Haque struck a crucial second-innings century to help Khulna Division beat Rangpur Division by five wickets at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna. The 19-year-old smashed 7 boundaries and 6 sixes in his 123-ball knock after they were set 232 runs to win.

The target was within their reach when they bowled Rangpur out for just 92, after seamer Soumya Sarkar, who claimed his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket, and left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak took nine of their wickets. Rangpur had earlier taken a 139-run first innings lead: Naeem Islam's 127 had powered them to 388 runs and seamer Alauddin Babu picked up six wickets to bowl Khulna out for 249.

Rangpur captain Suhrawadi Shuvo was fined his entire match fee for being guilty of using abusive language after being given out in the second innings.

Unseasonal rain in Dhaka, Savar and Rajshahi meant no play was possible on the third and fourth days in the other three games.

Tamim Iqbal, though, found enough time to hit an unprecedented third hundred in a row in Chittagong Division's drawn game against Sylhet Division in Savar. The left-hand batsman struck 183 almost at a run a ball, which included 13 boundaries and 12 sixes. He was the lone beacon in the first two sessions on the first day after Chittagong decided to bat first. After they were reduced to 59 for 4, Tamim added 95 for the fifth wicket with Aftab Ahmed, before adding 125 more with Sri Lanka all-rounder Milinda Siriwardana, who scored a 63-ball 64. When Tamim was finally dismissed in the 57th over by Enamul Haque jnr, he had scored two-thirds of the team's runs. Left-arm spinner Enamul took 6 for 98, his second haul of five wickets or more in an innings this season.

Sylhet Division replied poorly with the bat, scoring 188 runs in 66 overs. The opening bowlers, Siriwardana and Arafat, shared seven wickets between them: Siriwardana took four of them while Arafat claimed three. For Sylhet, only Rumman Ahmed provided some resistance with a half-century, and Alok Kapali remained unbeaten on 40.

At the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, a result almost seemed possible within three days after Dhaka Division and Dhaka Metropolis lost 17 wickets on the first day, and nine more on the second. But the two rained-out days ensured a draw with Dhaka Metropolis gaining the bonus point for bowling Dhaka Division out for 165 in the first innings.

Put into bat, Dhaka Metropolis struggled for two sessions before being dismissed for 205. No. 3 Asif Ahmed, who scored 86, was just one of the four batsmen to reach a double-figure score. His 109-ball effort held the innings together before his wicket became the ninth one to fall. Seamer Shahadat Hossain took five wickets.

But his side fell into a rut quickly, ending the first day on 113 for 7 and being bowled out the next day for 165. Wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan was unbeaten on 68, though his 92-minute stay was unconvincing and he survived a number of close calls. Elias Sunny picked up four wickets while Arafat Sunny claimed three.

Dhaka Metropolis were 128 for 6 at the end of the second day, but what was most disappointing was the lack of runs from the likes of Mohammad Ashraful and Mahmudullah - Test aspirants with a series knocking at the door.

Junaid Siddique, on the other hand, made the most of his last opportunity before the West Indies Tests by scoring a big hundred in Rajshahi Division's drawn game against Barisal Division at the Shahid Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi. This was the most rain-affected game as even the first innings wasn't complete: Rajshahi made 466 for 3 in 133.4 overs before rain ruined part of the second, the third and the fourth day.

Junaid batted for more close to eight hours to score 181, and struck 25 boundaries. He shared a stand of 267 for the first wicket with Mizanur Rahman, who scored 148 off 220 balls with 21 fours and a six. Jahurul Islam added an unbeaten 83. Offspinner Sohag Gazi picked up two of the three wickets that fell.