Thumping wins for Dhaka Metro, Khulna

Dhaka Metropolis trounced Rajshahi Division by 285 runs at the BKSP-3 ground. Mehedi Maruf was adjudged Man of the Match for his maiden first-class century but two others starred for Dhaka Metro, too.

Saikat Ali's five-wicket haul in the second innings bundled Rajshahi out for 174 on the fourth morning. Dhaka Metro had earlier made 302 runs in the first innings riding on Maruf's 141 off 201 balls, while Sanjamul Islam picked up four wickets for Rajshahi. Dhaka Metro took an 84-run lead when Rajshahi were bowled out for 218 runs. Junaid Siddique and Jubair Ahmed made fifties, but were trumped by Mohammad Shahid and Sharifullah, who took three wickets each.

Dhaka Metro pulled their lead to 459 runs after Mehrab Hossain jnr struck his 14th first-class hundred to help the side to 375. Rajshahi left-arm spinner Saqlain Sajib took 6 for 120, but it couldn't keep their second-innings target down.

Saikat took the first four Rajshahi wickets to fall before picking up the ninth wicket of the innings. Sharifullah then wrapped up the game in the 45th over with Farhad Hossain was unbeaten on 85 off 125 balls.

Like Dhaka Metro, Khulna Division also got off to a flying start, beating Sylhet Division by an innings and 178 runs next door at the BKSP-2 ground.

Khulna declared their first innings on 536 for 8 with Tushar Imran remaining unbeaten on 177 and wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan making 115 runs, his third century in this format.

Tushar's 16th first-class century included 24 boundaries while Nurul struck 13 fours in his 173-ball innings. Khulna had three fifty-plus stands in the first four partnerships before Tushar and Nurul added 238 runs for the fifth wicket. Amit Majumder, Imrul Kayes and Mohammad Mithun also made fifties.

Offspinner Sadiqur Rahman and legspinner Alok Kapali took three wickets each for Sylhet, but their reply with the bat wasn't up to the mark.

They were bowled out for 184 runs in 60.2 overs with left-arm spinner Murad Khan taking three wickets. Asked to follow on, they were bowled out for 174 runs in 58.5 overs with Abdur Razzak taking 7 for 71, his 16th five-for in first-class cricket.

At the Fatullah Cricket Stadium, Rangpur Division defeated Chittagong Division by 225 runs.

Batting first, Rangpur were bowled out for 269 runs with Naeem Islam's 14th first-class hundred and Suhrawadi Shuvo's contribution of 62 at No 8. Naeem batted for more than five hours for his 107 off 239 balls with 13 fours and two sixes. Seamer Alauddin Babu took four wickets.

Chittagong, however had no answer, and were bowled out for 107 runs in 59.3 overs. Subashis Roy took three wickets while Bishawanath Halder picked up two wickets.

Litton Das struck 150 in Rangpur's second innings, off only 142 balls with the help of 19 fours and four sixes. It was his second first-class century and helped the side hammer 257 for 5 in 49 overs, extending the lead to 419 runs.

Shuvo took three wickets while new-ball bowlers Sajedul Islam and Subashis took two each as Chittagong were bowled out for 194 runs in 72 overs.