Habibul Bashar's Acme Laboratories crashed to a nine-wicket defeat to Aktel at the Bangaban-dhu National Stadium.

Acme were shot out for 92, the lowest total in the competition with Bangaldesh skipper Bashar fighting a lost battle with 45 runs.

At the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium, national stumper Khaled Mashud scored an invaluable 49 to compliment ARAF Apparels mate Ehsanul Haque (95 off 123 balls) in an exciting two-wicket victory over CityCell in the last over.

After four rounds, ARAF and Partex jointly top Group A with six points and look good bets to reach the super-league. CityCell and Aktel, with four points, also stay in contention with just one round remaining.

It was the last day in the competition for the national cricketers who join a two-day camp from May 3 before they fly off to the West Indies on May 6.

ARAF V CITYCELL
In a cracker of a match, ARAF toppled CityCell's 229-8 with four balls to spare.

Ehsanul was run out in the nervous 90s with the team still needing 25 runs from 29 deliveries with two wickets in hand.

But ARAF had experienced campaigners like Mustadir Litu and Fahim Muntasir who guided the side to 230-8. Mustadir remained unbeaten on 24 off 26 balls including one six while Fahim was not out on eight.

Ehsanul and Mashud had weathered an early storm when ARAF were reduced to 9-2 by the second over and ran into further trouble at 62-4.

The two added 86 runs for the fifth wicket with Mashud hitting four boundaries in his 76-ball 49 before being trapped lbw by spinner Nabil Samad.

Ehsanul, who hit eight fours in his 95, lost partners rapidly but took the team in sight of victory before Moniruzzaman effected his run out.

Earlier, opener Imran Ahmed smashed half a dozen boundaries in a fluent 75 (131 balls) and prolific Moniruzzaman made 47 off 78 balls with five hits to the ropes after CityCell had opted to bat first. Test vice-captain Rajin Saleh made a run-a-ball 37 while big-hitting Hasanuzzaman Rosel whacked four sixes in a blazing 37 from just 24 balls.

CityCell, who were 184-2 after 43 overs, could not accelerate the runrate in the dying overs as four batsmen including Imran and Moniruzzaman were run out.

ACME V AKTEL
Tigers allrounder Manjarul Islam Rana continued to impress with a strokeful 54 not out as Aktel overhauled the 93 required for victory in just 19 overs for the loss of one wicket.

The left-handed batsman, opening the innings with Uttam Kumar, blasted nine boundaries in 69 balls.

Earlier, Acme elected to bat first but only two batsmen including skipper Bashar reached double figures while six players were sent back for ducks. Seasoned left-arm spinner Sharfuddowlah Saikat picked up three wickets for eight runs from his 8.5-over spell while seamers Tareq Aziz and Ziaur Rahman chipped in with two wickets each.

Bashar, who faced 81 deliveries in over two hours, hit three boundaries. Test opener Hannan Sarker's bad run of form carried on as he made just one.