Bangladesh Cricket League: East Zone beat North Zone by four wickets

East Zone earned an exciting four wicket victory against North Zone in the last session of the 4th and final day of the 5th round of the Bangladesh Cricket League at the Academy ground of Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium in Cox’s Bazar on Thursday.
The day’s other 5th round match between league leader Central Zone and lowly South Zone ended in a draw at the main ground of the Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium (SKICS) in Cox’s Bazar.
After the day’s 5th round matches, Central Zone topped the list securing 55 runs, followed by East Zone with 46 points, North Zone with 38 points and South Zone with 33 points.
At Academy ground of SKICS, replying to East Zone first innings total 392 runs, North Zone (first innings 173 runs) resumed the 2nd innings with overnight 208 for 4 and were all out for 357 runs in 144.1 overs, featuring a century opener Myshukur Rahman.
Myshukur Rahman, who was in batting with 87 runs, completed a century scoring 1 polished 131 runs off 331 balls hitting 16 fours and one six.
Alok Kapali was the most successful bowler for East Zone grabbing five wickets for 70 runs and was adjudged the man of the match.
Chasing a target of 139 runs, East Zone opened the 2nd innings and hit the match-winner 139 runs for 6 in 22.1 overs, as the play was extended by 13 minutes after the mandatory last hour ended at 4.43 pm.
East Zone wsd in trouble at 37 for 4 in the eighth over, before Zakir Hasan made a counter-attacking 57 off 43 balls with six fours and three sixes. He was dismissed with 29 runs still required and East Zone also lost Alok Kapali towards the end but Mohammad Saifuddin struck the winning runs at the start of the 23rd over.
East Zone had made 392 runs in the first innings, on the back of Kapali’s 291-ball 154, which included 19 fours and a six. Mominul Haque contributed with a brisk 92 while Rahatul Ferdous struck 62.
Saifuddin took five wickets and Kamrul Islam Rabbi claimed four as North Zone were bowled out for 173, and asked to follow on. Myshukur Rahaman responded with 131 and Farhad Hossain made 75 as North Zone reached 357 in their second innings. Kapali took 5 for 70, and was awarded the player-of-the-match award.
In the day’s other match, Central Zone consolidated their top position after a draw against South Zone in the adjacent ground in Cox’s Bazar.
Batting first, Central Zone posted 425 runs with Raqibul Hasan following up his double-hundred from the previous game with 114 off 174 balls. Shuvagata Hom, Tanveer Haider and Sharifullah made 53, 84 and 60 respectively. Abdur Razzak took 5 for 138.
Farhad Reza and Taibur Rahman struck fifties for South Zone as they were bowled out for 312. Mohammad Sharif took three wickets. Shamsur Rahman, Marshall Ayub, Shuvagata and Sharifullah made fifties in Central Zone’s second innings, before their innings was declared at 292 for 6. Abdur Razzak took another three wickets.