Discarded national left-arm seamer Anisur Rahman knocked off the middle stump of number eleven Sharfuddowla to give Surjo Tarun Club a thrilling one-run win over Kalabagan Krira Chakra in a crucial Janakantha Premier league match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
While Kalabagan faltered, their more colourful neighbours Abahani Krira Chakra returned to winning ways with a big 114-run victory over relegation-threatened Ajax Sporting Club at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium. Ajax suffered their sixth consecutive defeat despite a back-to-back unbeaten century from their Pakistani recruit Shahed Mansoor.
Although Shahed Mansoor added some flair to an otherwise mundane affair at the Dhanmondi ground, the drama on the day was played at the big bowl where Kalabagan, chasing a paltry Surjo Tarun total of 187 in 80 overs, learned the age-old lesson of the game's glorious uncertainties the hard way.
Resuming on 36 for one, a complacent yet diabolically and mentally unfit Kalabagan fell two short of what seemed like an easy target.
To win Kalabagan needed those two runs from the last five overs with their last pair of skipper Saiful and Sharfuddowla at the crease. It was then that the Surjo Tarun skipper Minhazul Abedin brought Anis back into the attack.
The experienced left-armer, famous for his exploits against India A where he dismissed Venkatesh Prasad to give Bangladesh a historic win in Dhaka a few year's back, repeated the act in style, having Sharfuddowla bowled with a gem of an yorker.
``He (Anis) was the last card up my sleeves. I knew Sharfuddowla won't be able to face quickies. I just asked Anis to keep his head cool and bowl straight. They needed only two runs and we had nothing to lose,'' said Surjo Tarun's and former national skipper Minhazul Abedin, a happy man at the dressing room.
``Their (Kalabagan) attitude was to play the 80 overs and that let them down,'' added Minhaz.
The Kalabagan rot however started 45 minutes into the morning session after former Pakistan international Ghulam Ali was caught brilliantly by wicketkeepr Khaled Masood while trying to drive his compatriot off-spinner Arshad Khan.
The tall right-hander, who began the day on seven, scored highest 33 runs for Kalabagan. He shared 47 runs for the second wicket with opener Sajjad Ahmed, who scored 30 runs with four boundaries facing 111 balls.
Once Ali departed, the remaining Kalabagan batsmen joined in a never-ending procession in the face of some controlled Surjo Tarun bowling, backed by some excellent keeping from national wicketkeeper Khaled Masood. The man behind the stumps, who contributed highest 48 to the unimpressive Surjo Tarun total on Friday, took two catches and effected a couple of smart stumping. It was interesting to see Masood standing close behind the stumps with Athar bowling his gentle medium-pacers.
Kalabagan suffered a big blow when off-spinner Rafiqul dismissed their in-form Shahid Saeed. The Pakistan all-rounder, who with a five-wicket burst destroyed Tarun on Friday, scored only 10 before being caught by Arshad Khan at square-leg.
Athar Ali then struck in the next over, making Kalabagan reel at 106 for five.
Kalabagan went for lunch without further damage, but they lost their remaining five wickets in the next 25 overs after adding another 74 runs.
Skipper Saiful Islam and Sharfuddowla raised a glimmer of Bagan hopes, putting on 14 runs for the last wicket. But a defeat was sealed when Anis hammered the final nail in the 75th over.
It was Kalabagan's second defeat in five matches. On the other hand it was Tarun's fourth win in five outings.
At the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium, Abahani recorded their fifth win in six matches when they defeated Ajax by 114 runs.
For Ajax, Pakistani Shahed Mansoor ploughed in the sand with an unbeaten century. Mansoor, who scored an undefeated 122 against Brothers Union in the previous match at the same venue, scored a brilliant 120. But that was hardly enough for Ajax Sporting to topple the mammoth Abahani total of 391 for eight in 80 overs.
The Elephant Road outfit, who are yet to win a match in the 12-team elite league, were all out for 277 in 77.2 overs.
For Abahani, left-arm spinner Masud Rana returned with three for 50 from his 16 overs while seamer Ahmed Kamal and two off spinners-Naimur Rahman and Saidul Islam--evenly shared six wickets among themselves.