Both sides collected two points from the rain-interrupted match according to the by-laws as one side could not complete their first innings at the Sylhet Stadium.

Dhaka, on 32 points, have now opened up a eight-point lead over second-placed Rajshahi while Sylhet slipped to bottom of the table along with Barisal and Khulna, all three on 16 points.

Also Thursday, Barisal crushed neighbours Khulna by 260 runs for their first outright victory in the tournament. Chittagong, who lost to Rajshahi in the seventh round, are third with 20 points.

SYLHET-DHAKA
Skipper Alok Kapali responded to his omission from England-bound preliminary squad, by capturing seven for 81 as Sylhet pressed to take a first innings lead in a bid for four points but Dhaka's lower-order held the fort to reach 282-9 at close of play.

In reply to Sylhet's first innings total of 313, Dhaka resumed on two for no loss and lost opener Anwar Hossain without any addition to the total.

Opener Rashedul Haque (41) and one-down Javed Omar (48) added 80 runs for the second wicket before national discard Kapali began his career-best spell, destroying the defending champions' middle-order in the final two sessions.

Dhaka slumped to 125-6, losing five wickets in 13 overs, but Mahmudullah Riayadh and Mehrab Hossain halted the slide during a 70-run stand for the seventh wicket.

Riyadh made a patient 48 from 102 balls while former national opener Mehrab, who came to bat at number eight, scored a more sedate 51 from 153 deliveries.

Kapali's legbreaks again brought Sylhet back into contention when he removed both batsmen but Dhaka's last pair Anwar Munir and Dipojjal saw off the remaining six overs during an unbroken 19-run stand for the last wicket.

Kapali, who bowled 30 overs in a row after scoring 54 in the Sylhet innings, was adjudged man-of-the-match.

BARISAL-KHULNA
Away at the Barisal Stadium, Nadif Chowdhury picked the last five wickets as the hosts shot out Khulna for 167 in their second innings.

Overnight 210-4, Barisal batted 19 overs in the morning before declaring their second innings on 269-8.

Set an improbable 428-run victory target, Habibul Bashar's men skittled out in just 49 overs with some resistance coming from wicketkeeper Sahagir Hossain (42) and Manzarul Islam (41). They lost their last five wickets for just 30 runs in 12 overs as left-arm spinner Nadif reaped through the tail.

Nadif, adjudged man-of-the-match finished with a match haul of nine for 97 after taking 5-58 in the second innings.

SCORES IN BRIEF
SYLHET-DHAKA
Sylhet: 313

Dhaka: 282-9 in 102 overs (Rashedul 41, Anwar 1, Javed 48, Mehrab Jr 1, Ashraful 18, Mahmud 2, Riyadh 48, Mehrab 51, talha 19, Munir 6 n.o., Dipojjal 6 n.o., extras 36, Nazmul 1-23, Rezaul 1-27, Kapali 7-81).

Result: Match drawn.

BARISAL-KHULNA
Barisal: 384 and 269-8 declared in 59.2 overs (Imran 5, Hannan 17, Raqibul 88, Shahin 29, Proshenjit 70, Towhid 5, Nadif 29, rajan 8, Sonnet 1 n.o., extras 17, Ashraful 3-42, Manzarul 2-53, Jamal 3-78).

Khulna: 226 and 167 all out in 49 overs (Sadat 11, Shafiul 9, Shahagir 42, Tushar 0, Rana 41, Jamal 22, Bashar 11, Rzzak 0, Russel 9, Manjurul 1, Ashraful 0 n.o., extras 12, Anisur 1-20, Sonnet 3-54, Nadif 5-58, Tariqul 1-7).