Dhaka, December 12 (CricketTomorrow.com)- On a day when defending champions Abahani dropped points playing out a tie against high-flying Biman, league-leaders Mohammedan extended their lead brushing aside Victoria in a one-sided match in the Super League stage of the Ispahani Tea Premier Division Cricket League Saturday.

 

Mohammedan's victory at Fatullah came by 8 wickets which puts them firmly in the drivers' seat for claiming the title, three points above nearest chasers Abahani and five clear of Biman.

 

It was another day of curtailed matches as fog played foul in most parts of the country. Fatullah's match was reduced to 37-over-a-side which started at midday. Mohammedan skipper Khaled Masud, on winning the toss, had no qualms about opting to field first to take obvious advantage of seaming conditions in overcast weather. And his bowlers didn't let him down. They bowled tidily to make Victoria batsmen work hard for their runs. Only two Victoria batsmen batted with some authority while the others failed to negotiate with Mohammedan spinners. Kamrul Islam top-scored with 33, but his run-out put paid to their hopes of posting a big score. Mohammedan's veteran all-rounder Foysal Hossain was the wrecker-in-chief taking three important wickets, including the precious one of Victoria skipper Mohammad Sharif who scored a quick-fire 31 to lead his side to a decent score of 141 before they were all out in 36.5 overs.

 

141 might be a decent score, but not one that would deter a star-studded Mohammedan from coasting. Mohammedan's opening batsmen Shamsur Rahman and Mohammad Ashraful provided the perfect launching pad, both scoring half centuries. Shamsur Rahman was the more attacking of the two as he struck six boundaries and an over-boundary to score 51 off 56 balls. He, however, couldn't finish the job on his own and got bowled out by Tariqul Islam with the team's score on 99. His opening partner Mohammad Ashraful, though, played a patient knock scoring his fifty off 87 deliveries. Tariqul got another scalp when he dismissed Navedul Hasan cheaply, but Ashraful held firm and stuck in with former Bangladesh opener Nafees Iqbal to guide the side for the rest of the chase. Ashraful ended unbeaten on 56 while Nafees was not out on 24 as Mohammedan completed the chase in 30.4 overs, scripting a comfortable 8-wicket victory.

 

Mohammedan v Victoria (37-over-a-side match)
VICTORIA: 141 all out in 36.5 overs (Kamrul Islam 33, Mohammad Sharif 31; Foysal Hossain 3-47, Nabil Samad 2-22)

MOHAMMEDAN: 142 for 2 in 30.4 overs (Shamsur Rahman 51, Mohammad Ashraful 56 not out, Tariqul Islam 2-24)

Result: Mohammedan won by 8 wickets

 

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