Central Zone look to be desperate for a positive result in the fifth round of the Bangladesh Cricket League [BCL]. After restricting South Zone to a disgraceful total they are now eyeing a lead, and probably, a big one.

Both Ebadat Hossain and Mosharraf Hossain took a four-fer for Central Zone while Salauddin Sakil also joined the hunt and took two scalps.

Opening batsman Fazle Mahmud’s 40-run knock was the highest individual innings for South Zone as the likes of Anamul Haque, Imrul Kayes, Tushar Imran, and Nurul Hasan failed to make an impact.

In reply, Shadman Islam’s unbeaten innings of 66 runs has taken the Central Zone closer to going past the opponents’ total. With a score of 154/2, Central Zone were just 37 runs short of South Zone’s 1^st innings total until the umpires called a halt.

Nayeem Islam and Abdur Razzak picked up a wicket each for South Zone and will look forward to turning things around for their team after the game resumes on day-2.

The other match saw North Zone register 204 runs for 5 wickets when the stumps were drawn. Their batsman Nazmul Hasan Shanto made 73 runs to help the team as their key batsman—Mushfiqur Rahim is out due to an injury.

Mizanur Rahman and Jahurul Islam also scored 40-odd runs while the rest of the batting line-up couldn’t stand firm against East Zone’s bowling attack.

Nazmul was dismissed by Mohammad Ashraful who later got the wicket of Dhiman Ghosh as well. Shohag Gazi removed the openers, Junaid Siddiqui and Mizanur while Mohammad Saifuddin also got a wicket under his belt.

Jahurul will resume the next day’s play along with Ariful Haque who made 17 runs until so far.