Brothers, Rupganj, Victoria ace chases

Brothers Union sealed their first win in the Dhaka Premier League by beating Kalabagan Cricket Academy by six wickets in Mirpur. Half-centuries from Tushar Imran and Zimbabwe recruit Sean Williams set up the chase of 214. While Williams was stumped by Bishawnath Halder for 70 off 81 balls, Imran stayed unbeaten on 67 off 89 balls.

The 125-run partnership between Williams and Imran boosted Brothers Union, after they were weakened to 72 for 3 in the 18th over. Both openers - Shahriar Nafees and Nafees Iqbal - were run out.

Earlier, each of KCA's top six had a start with only their captain Mahmudul Hasan converting it to a fifty. He made 54 off 62 balls, including two fours, before falling to Shahid b Nur Alam. Irfan Sukkur made the second-best score - 42 off 68 balls. Seamer Mohammad Shahid and offspinner Sanjit Saha, who was playing his first competitive match since being reported for a suspect action during the Under-19 World Cup, restricted KCA with two wickets each.

Alauddin Babu and Asif Ahmed steered Legends of Rupganj to a three-wicket win over Gazi Group Cricketers in Fatullah. They added an unbroken for 47 for the eighth wicket in 5.5 overs, after Rupganj had slumped to 209 for 7 by the 44th over.

Having made 255 on the back of half-centuries from Shamsur Rahman and Saeed Anwar jnr, Gazi Group strengthened their advantage by reducing Rupganj to 11 for 3 by the fourth over. Mohammad Mithun and Ashar Zaidi then managed to rebuild the chase without losing track of the asking rate, courtesy a 91-run partnership for the fourth wicket. The stand ended when Alok Kapali had Zaidi caught by Saeed Anwar in the 21st over. Mithun pushed on to make his 12th List A fifty before he was bowled by Anwar. Asif, however, stepped up with 54 off 76 balls, including three fours. He was assisted by Nahidul Islam(25) and Alauddin, who struck three sixes and a four during his 34 off 22 balls.

Earlier, Gazi Group got off to a steady start with Shamsur Rahman and Anamul Haque adding 66 runs in 18.1 overs. Anamul was caught behind off Taijul Islam for 42 off 66 balls before Mahedi, who made a debut List-A hundred in the last game, fell for 2. Shamsur then hit his second fifty in a row, and added 68 runs for the third wicket with Saeed Anwar jnr, who top-scored with a 74-ball 70 that had five fours and two sixes.

Mosharraf Hossain, Zaidi and Soumya took two wickets each while Abu Hider and Taijul picked up one each.

Victoria Sporting Club captain Nadif Chowdhury held his nerve and guided his team to a tense two-wicket win over Mohammedan Sporting Club in BKSP-3. His eighth List A fifty - 51 not out off 47 balls - controlled the chase even as Victoria lost five wickets for 32 runs in the slog overs. Nadif added 29 for the ninth wicket with Dolar Mahmud(4*) and overhauled Mohammedan's 247 for 9 with a six and a four in the penultimate over.

Victoria had a shaky start with Fazle Mahmud falling in the fourth over for 2 off 7 balls. Abdul Mazid then combined with Mominul Haque and put on 114 for the second wicket to lift their side. Mominul was the aggressor with seven fours and one six during his 67 of 69 balls while Mazid was sedate during his 55. Both batsmen fell to off-spinning allrounder Naeem Islam in quick succession before Al-Amin, who had struck a century in his previous match, added a crucial 61 runs for the fourth wicket in Chaturanga de Silva. Nadif then took charge of the chase.

Having opted to bat, Mohammedan ran into early trouble when they lost their top three by the 12th over. They soon slipped to 62 for 4 when Naeem Islam became slow left-arm spinner Suhrawadi Shuvo's third victim in the 18th over.

Mushfiqur Rahim, though, revived the innings with an 101-run partnership with veteran Faisal Hossain. The stand ended when Shuvo had Faisal caught by Dolar. Mushfiqur went on to make 104 off 108 balls before he fell to Chaturanga with the score at 188 for 6, but Ariful Haque and Nazmul Hossain Milon made cameos to provide the final flourish.