Imrul ton drives South Zone

Imrul Kayes provided the best possible answer to the national selectors in regards to his fitness issues by scoring a fighting century on the first day of the fifth round of the ongoing Bangladesh Cricket League, the country's premier 4-day cricket competition.

He did a marvelous job with the bat to help Prime Bank South Zone move to a relatively strong position against Islami Bank East Zone at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong yesterday.

On a turning track, the left-hander scored 136 runs with 18 fours and two sixes and led them to 296.

Mohammad Saifuddin and Saqlain Sajib were the key wicket-takers for East Zone, scalping three wickets each.

The day's other game between Walton Central Zone and BCB North Zone at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, witnessed 13 wickets fall in just one day.

Well supported by an unbeaten 40 from Taibur Rahman, under 19 skipper Saif Hassan top-scored for Central with a 136-ball 63. However, the rest of the batsmen got out cheaply. The chief wrecker was Sanjamul Islam, who finished with brilliant figures of 5 for 45 in 24.5 overs. Central were bundled out for 181 in 63.5 overs.

After the exchange North finished on 63 for 3 in 21 overs.