Victoria SC climb to third place
Sports Reporter
Kamrul Islam Rabbis four-wicket haul steered Victoria Sporting Club to a 28-run win over Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in the ninth round encounter of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium yesterday.
By virtue of the victory, Victoria pushed their point-tally alongside their placement on the leagues point table. Now they are languishing in third place just behind table-topper Mohammedan Sporting Club and Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club. The duo are just one point adrift of Victoria.
Opted to bat first, Victoria Sporting Club compiled a fighting 247 in 49.4 overs thanks to Mominul Haques fifty, after which Sheikh Jamal were restricted to 219 with nine balls to spare.
Victoria got off to a good start as they put up a 43-run through their openers-Abdul Mazid (26) and Fazle Mahmud (37) before Mazids departure. Therefore, Mominul Haque partnered Fazle Mahmud and stitched together a 72-run for the second wicket.
Mominul Haque clouted half-a-dozen boundary and one six in his 51-ball 50. This time there held a mini-drama whey they lost four wickets in the space of 17. But skipper Nadif Chowdhury in association with Chaturanga de Silva handled the debacle with composure and shared an invaluable 80-run for the sixth wicket stand, which surpassed the 200-run mark. As soon as Nadif walked for the dugout, De Silva followed him being run out by Joyraz Sheik. Chowdhury chipped in with 36 and De Silva struck 39.
Finally, Mahbubul Alams late fire of 14-ball 24 with three sixes and one four helped them set a stiff target of 248 in Mirpurs surface.
Mahmudullah Ryad claimed three wickets for Sheikh Jamal. Muktar Ali and Abdur Rahman picked up two wickets each.
Chasing the target, Sheikh Jamal lost their opener Abdullah Al Mamun (25) inside seven overs. Together with Marshall Ayub, Mahbubul Karim, then, added 56-run for the second wicket. Having run out by De Silva, a well-set Karim fell five runs shy of his fifty. Mahmudullah Ryad tried to make a resistance with fellow batsmen but Suhrawardi Shuvo and Al Amin got rid of Marshal and Joyraz Sheikh.
Pacer Kamrul Islam Rabbi clutched the rein of Jamals innings cleansing up Mahmudullah Ryad (32) and Zabid Hossain before posing any solid threat. Thereafter, Sohag Gazi tried to steady the ship but he didnt get ably support as wickets were stumbling at regular interval from the other end.
Sohag Gazi clubbed five fours and one six in his 59 off 64-ball knock. Later Kamrul Islam Rabbi once again stirred the low-order. Man of the match Rabbi, who was the pick of the bowlers for Victoria, snapped up four for 38. He was aided by Suhrawardi Shuvo and Chaturanga de Silva, who took two wickets apiece.
