Bangladesh's Premier Cricket League to resume

SK. Saifur Rahman, Staff Reporter (Sports), The Daily Janakantha, reports on the imminent resumption of Bangladesh's Premier League:

"After a 14-day Eid break the Janakantha Premier Cricket League, the most exciting and prestigious league of the country, resumes on March 28 when Surjotorun takes on Mohammedan and City meets Brothers.

The top 12 clubs participate in this league. After the first phase, six top chart team, according to points will qualify for the super league.

Many reputed cricketers from abroad come to take part. International stars like Wasim Akram, Ajay Jadeja, Ashish Kapoor, Richard Illingworth, Neil Fairbrother, Arjuna Ranatunga, Sanath Jayasurya, late Raman Lamba etc all played here.

Former Pakistani Test pacer Atur Rehman is playing this year for Wari Club. The highest number of foreign cricketers is playing this year at an average of three players per team.

However, before the break, holder Biman and runner-up Abahani Ltd. managed to play six matches each and top the point table jointly with 12 points each.

Kalabagan Club, Surjotorun Club and Mohamedan Sporting Club follow them with 8 points each. Apparently these five confirm Super Six aspirations.

Now Brothers Union and newcomer City Club has to fight for the sixth position. After five matches Brothers is lagging (four points) behind two points from City.

Kalabagan, Surjotaorun and Mohammedan have also played five matches each. Due to bad weather and rain they could not play their sixth match before the holiday.

Among the handful of foreign recruits, including Jahoor Elahi, Atur, Manjoor Akhtar, Tarek Mehmood, Hasan Tillekaratne, Ruan Kalpage, Shahed Mehmood etc., local players performed comparatively bettering both batting and bowling.

This is despite two Pakistanis, Jahoor and Mohd. Hossain top the batting and bowling list.

In fact, most of the centuries are made by the foreigners. Out of seven so far Jahoor of Kalabagan made three and Mohd. Ramjan of Surjotorun, Saifullah Magsi of City Club, Ejaj Jr. of Abahani and the only local lad and national cricketer Javed Omar Belim of Biman scored one century each.

Jahoor also piled highest 386 runs in five innings with one not out. While two local batsmen Javed scored 322 and former national skipper Faruk Ahmed of biman scored 310 (with four 50s) in six innings. Tilakratne and Nasirul Alam Nahid of Mohd. scored 242 (with two 50s), 239( with one 50) and national wicketkeeper Khaled Masood of Surjotarun 238 (with three 50s) in five innings respectively.

Hossain of Abahani collected 15 wkts (4/2) in six matches. His teammate national pacer Hasibul Hossain of Abahani took 14 (5/35) wickets in 5 matches. They are followed by Jahoor 13 (5/36), Aminul islam Bhola of Biman 13(5/34),Manjoor akhter of Biman 13 (4/35) respectively.

Very unfortunately Hasibul is sidelined for six weeks due to an unavoidale collision with Jahoor during Abahani and Kalabagan match. Jahoor has been suspended for four matches while the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis has suspended Mehrab Hossain for one match.

Biman and Abahani won all six matches each while Surjotarun and Mohammedan won four each and one each. Kalabagan won 4 and lost 2,CITY Club won 3,and lost two and Brothers won two and lost three.

The league will be halted again for five days from 5th April due to the star match between Asia XI and Rest of the World XI, which is a part of the ICC Cricket Week 2000 celebration."