Nayeem stars to bring East first win in BCL

East Zone off-spinner Nayeem Ahmed starred with eight wickets against Central Zone in the ongoing Bangladesh Cricket League at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram yesterday to help set up a seven-wicket victory for his side after the second round of matches.

Nayeem picked up four wickets in the first innings to help bundle out Central for 280, and then played a decisive role with as many scalps in the second innings to skittle Central out for 125, giving his East a favourable 149-run target in the fourth innings which they chased down with ease, courtesy of fifties from Amite Hasan (63) and Shamim Hossain (53).

The win, following a draw in their first match, guided East to the top of the table with three points.

In the other match between North Zone and South Zone at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, North off-spinner Nahidul Islam delivered an all-round effort to take his side to the brink of victory on the final day but a resilient fightback from South's tailenders denied such an outcome as the match ended in an enthralling draw.

Nahidul's 51-run knock helped North past 200 before being bundled out for 210 after being put into bat first.

South, in reply, took a 33-run lead, courtesy of opener Prantik Nawrose Nabil's 90-run knock which helped his side to 243. Nahidul helped in restricting the opposition with three scalps to his name.

North picked themselves up and delivered a reinforced effort with the bat on the back of an unbeaten 117-run knock from top-order batter Abdullah Al Mamun. They declared the innings at 345 for seven, giving South 321 to chase.

Nahidul was at it again, and this time he picked up a fifer to help reduce South to 134 for eight after 47 overs.

But South batters Sumon Khan and Moin Khan kept the inevitable at bay, staging a remarkable effort by playing 24 overs between them to rescue an unlikely draw.

No. 10 batter Sumon played 76 balls for his 29 runs, while Moin, who came in at nine, played three more for his 10-run knock.