National off-spinner Sheikh Salahuddin finally found a club in the Premier Division cricket league.
On the final day of the three-day inter-club cricketers' transfer, Salahuddin, who played for league champions Abahani for the last three seasons but was ignored by the Dhanmondi club this season, signed for another popular side, Mohammedan Sporting Club, last night.
This will be Salahuddin's second marriage with Mohammedan. The man from Khulna also played for the Motijheel outfit in the 1992-93 season.
Talking to The Daily Star after handing over his token to Mohammedan official Wasim Khan, Salahuddin said that it was a curse to be an off-spinner.
``You see, no body wants to fill their five-man national pool quota with an off spinner and that is very painful. If this trend continues, I doubt if boys will opt to bowl off-break deliveries,'' said Salauddin.
Salauddin apart, wicketkeeper Ashraful Islam Russell from Lalmatia Club and middle-order batsman Saiduzzaman Sohel of Wari Club also joined Mohammedan yesterday.
Leg-spinner Tanveer Khan, who toured England last Summer with the national team, was the last man in the 34-man national pool to shift allegiance. He joined First Division side Orient Sporting Club from Dhanmondi Club yesterday.
Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Iqbal was another notable transfer of the day. The tall Karachi-based cricketer, who played for Agrani Bank the last couple of seasons, yesterday signed for Biman, who earlier Thursday caused quite a sensation by roping in national skipper Aminul Islam from Mohammedan.
Five clubs--Abahani, Kalabagan Krira Chakra, Biman, Surjo Tarun Club and Mohammedan Sporting Club-- completed their five-man national pool quota. Brothers Union have retained the services of their four national pool cricketers. Victoria Sporting Club have roped in three pool players while Agrani Bank and Orient Sporting Club have one each from the pool.
Distribution of national pool cricketers:
Abahani Ltd: Akram Khan, Naimur Rahman, Mehrab Hossain, Azam
Iqbal and Hasibul Hossain.
Kalabagan KC: Saiful Islam, Harun-ur Rashid, Mushfiqur Rahman,
Fahim Muntasir Rahman and Sajjad Ahmed.
Surjo Tarun Club: Minhazul Abedin, Athar Ali Khan, Enamul
Haque, Al-Shahriar and Anisur Rahman.
Biman: Aminul Islam, Faruque Ahmed, Habibul Bashar, Javed Omar
Belim and Hasanuzzaman.
Mohammedan SC: Mohammed Rafique, Morshed Ali Khan, Manzurul
Islam, Zakir Hossain and Sheikh Salahuddin.
Brothers Union: Shahriar Hossain, Khaled Mahmud, Shafiuddin
Ahmed and Sanwar Hossain.
Victoria SC: Zakir Hasan, Jewel Hossain and Sabbir Khan.
Agrani Bank: Mofizur Rahman.
Orient SC: Tanveer Khan.