Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 568 Sat. December 31, 2005  
   
Sports


AKTEL Premier Division Cricket League 2005-6
Nafees hammers ton
Victoria stay on track, Abahani lose again


National opener Shahriar Nafees struck a blazing hundred as runners-up City Club returned to the winning track with an 81-run victory against Orient Sporting Club in the Aktel Premier Cricket League at the Comilla Stadium yesterday.

The left-hander put the pointless Orient attack to the sword as he smashed 17 boundaries and four sixes to score 158 off just 155 balls in the second ton in the competition after Brothers' Pakistani recruit Rashed Hanif made 107 against Agrani Bank in the fifth round.

City rode on the hurricane hundred and fifties by Zimba-bwean Tatenda Taibu (58) and Rajin Saleh (51) to amass 305-4 in 50 overs on way to their fourth win. Despite a whirlwind 49-ball 86 by Tamim Iqbal, Orient were restricted to 224-8 in reply.

But it were Victoria Sporting Club who recovered their dream run with their second successive win after the only defeat to City Club in the fifth round. The two-time champions' latest victim were Brothers Union who crashed to a 34-run loss at BKSP.

Victoria, now at second place with 12 points, thrived on an unbeaten 60 by wicketkeeper Sagir Hossain to score 200-9 before Waisqarani Palash (4-54) blew away Brothers for 166. Rashed Hanif top scored 71 for Brothers.

In an incident-packed match at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium, big-spending Sonargaon Cricketers stumbled to a five-wicket defeat to promotees Kalabagan Krira Chakra to jeopardize their super-six hopes.

Star-studded Sonargaon were bundled out for 124 in 45 overs with Mohammad Ashraful making the 26. Kalabagan raced to 125-5 in 36.3 overs to taste their second win.

Away at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra, Biman (187 all out) registered their fifth win against Indira Road KC (174-8). Biman joined Mohammedan at third place with ten points.

Another fallen giants Abahani's poor run continued as they suffered a 30-run defeat to lowly Agrani Bank, who also recorded their second victory.

Abahani suffered their fourth defeat when they were all out for 170 in 45.2 overs in reply to the banker's 200-9.