Agrani Bank continued with their terrific run in the Janakantha Premier Division Cricket League when they handed defending champions Abahani a 24-run defeat at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
In another match, reigning runners-up Brothers Union, who were the first Bank victims, losing by 41 runs, returned to winning ways with a sound 146-run thrashing of Ajax Sporting, despite a century by Shahed Mansoor.
It was a brilliant team effort by the bankers down at the big bowl that led them to their second successive win against two giants of the 12-team elite league.
Defending a not-so-impressive 272 in 80 overs, the Bankers bowled well, fielded even better to shoot out their mighty Dhanmondi outfit for 248 in the 77th over, thanks to the left-arm spin duo of Russell Khan and Suja Erfan, who once again rose to the occasion to share five Abahani wickets between them.
Chasing a manageable score, Abahani got off to a shaky start losing three of their top orders before lunch with only 94 on the board.
Opener Azam Iqbal returned in the last ball of the tenth over, edging medium-pacer Mofizur Rahman to wicketkeeper Sajjad Kadir, followed by one-down Naimur Rahman, who was then bowled on while trying to square-cut a straight ball from Pakistani off-spinner Shahin Malik in the 16th over.
Suja, the southpaw who took four wickets against Brothers Union, then caused the main damage be removing the other opener Mehrab Hossain on 44. The right-handed former national cricketer went on his back foot to cut Suja through point but missed the line of the ball which touched the bottom edge of his bat before nestling in the safe hands of wicketkeeper Sajjad Kadir.
After Mehrab's departure with Abahani practically reeling, Pakistani middle-order Azam Khan and skipper Akram Khan played the remaining ten overs before lunch with care and added 33 runs, taking Abahani to 127 for three in 37 overs.
However, the bankers took full control of the match in the second session when they claimed five Abahani wickets conceding 98 runs in 29 overs.
Skipper Akram Khan was out in the second over after lunch when he was caught behind off a Russell Khan delivery. Russell then removed in-form Pakistani batsman Azam Khan on 60, leaving Abahani on 176 for five in the 53rd over. The situation turned worse in the next over when Niamur Rashid was run out for a duck.
Left-handed Pakistani all-rounder Mohammad Hussain (42) returned in the 60th over leaving Abahani on 201. Wicketkeeper Nuruzzaman (9) was the last man to be out before tea when he was brilliantly taken by Mofizur Rahman at point.
After tea, with Abahani tottering on 225 in 66 overs, it was only a matter of time for the bankers to book Abahani. They took the next eleven overs to see Abahani bundled out for 248.
It was the first defeat for Abahani in five matches, which leaves Biman as the only unbeaten team with four wins. The national airliners will take on Mohammedan Sporting in their fifth match, which begins at the Bangabandhu National Stadium this morning.
Away at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium, Brother Union posted their fourth win in five matches with a 146-run victory over lowly-rated Ajax Sporting.
Chasing a huge Brothers Union overnight total of 371 in 80 overs, the Elephant Road outfit were all out for 225 in 66.5 overs with Pakistani middle-order Shahed Mansoor hammering an undefeated 122.
In his nearly four-hour long 176-ball stay at the crease, Mansoor smote three sixes and seven boundaries. It was the tenth century of the league so far.
But the ton came to naught for Ajax as none of their other batsmen reached even a thirty.
For Brothers, right-arm medium-pacer Shahnewaz returned with three for 49 from his 9.5 overs while his new-ball partner Shafiuddin Ahmed, Milan and former Indian Test all-rounder Sanjeev Sharma evenly shared six wickets.