Khulna champions after narrow win

Khulna Division became National Cricket League champions by beating Rajshahi Division by 33 runs in a low-scoring game in Bogra. The win put them on 40 points, ten ahead of Dhaka Division, who can't catch up even though they are poised to thrash Barisal Division in Rajshahi. It is Khulna's third NCL triumph after winning the tournament in 2002-03 and 2007-08.

Rajshahi had a shot at victory after they bowled out Khulna for 180 in the second innings; they needed to chase only 187. However the pace and spin combination of Robiul Islam and Nizamuddin took eight wickets and Rajshahi were bowled out for 153.

In the first innings, Khulna had made 228 after being put into bat. Imrul Kayes' 60 was the only major contribution as the Rajshahi bowlers Farhad Reza and Saqlain Sajib took control, picking up three wickets each.

Rajshahi, however, batted poorly in their first innings and conceded a six-run lead. Maisuqur Rahman made 64 but the rest failed to support him. Robiul and left-arm spinner Murad Khan took three wickets each for Khulna.

Dhaka Division finished as runners-up in this season's National Cricket League after crushing Barisal Division by an innings and 105 runs in Rajshahi. The win gave them eight points taking them to 38, two short of Khulna Division's 40 points at the top of the table.

Batting first, Barisal scored 256 runs with only Iftekhar Nayem and Zakaria Masud making half-centuries. Mohammad Sharif and Shuvagata Hom took three wickets each for Dhaka.

They replied with 474 runs at a run rate of 3.48, with Raqibul Hasan finally getting some runs with a solid 160. Rony Talukder, Hom and Sharif also got half-centuries as they took a 218-run lead.

Barisal surrendered meekly on the final day, getting bowled out for 113 runs. Left-arm spinner Mosharraf Hossain took five wickets while pace bowler Shahadat Hossain took three.

Dhaka Metropolis finished third in the competition with a nine-wicket win over Sylhet Division in Rangpur. They banked on centuries from Marshall Ayub and Mehrab Hossain jnr to make 345 runs after the top-order fell cheaply. Marshall made 116 while the left-handed Mehrab struck 110.

Mohammad Ashraful's five-wicket haul helped Dhaka Metro bowl out Sylhet for just 155 runs in the first innings, and following on, they made 265 runs. Offspinner Sharifullah took five wickets for Dhaka Metro in the second innings.

Set 76 to win, Dhaka Metro completed the chase in the fourth morning, taking only 11 overs to complete the win.

Rangpur Division and Chittagong Division drew their last match of this season in Sylhet. Heavy fog disrupted the game on all four days.

Batting first, Chittagong made 350 runs with Aftab Ahmed narrowly missing out on a first-class hundred. He was dismissed for 97 runs while Yasir Ali and Sadid Hossain also scored half centuries. Hundreds from Litton Das and Tanveer Haider led Rangpur's reply as they made 487 runs.

Chittagong batted out 52 overs to make 187 for 6 before stumps were drawn.