Aminul Islam slammed his second half-century of the season to glide title aspirants Biman to a fighting total against Kalabagan Krira Chakra in a Janakantha Premier Division Cricket League match, which began at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
In another match, Agrani Bank mustered 221 against Victoria Sporting at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium.
Away at the BKSP, Ajax Sporting almost ensured their maiden victory in the elite league in a match against promotees Sadharan Bima at the end of day one.
Aminul Islam, the national skipper, scored 62 runs as the national airliners, opting to bat first in the two-day affair after calling the coin correctly, went on to score 275 for nine at the end of their stipulated 80 overs against the lakeside outfit. Kalabagan's captain Saiful Islam was dropped from the first eleven for poor form.
Aminul put on a 60-run partnership with captain Faruque Ahmed for the third wicket in 13.3 overs and then added another 53 runs with Habibul Bashar to help Biman recover well from a rather slow start.
The two Biman openers Javed Omar and Ziaur Rashid gave Biman 47 runs in 20 overs before the latter was caught at point by discarded Pakistan international Ghulam Ali off a Mushfiqur Rahman delivery. In his eye-sore of a 90-minute stay at the crease, Ziaur Rashid took 72 balls to score 16, half of which came from two boundaries.
Biman lost their second wicket on 66 when Javed Omar, a national opener, edged to wicketkeeper Jubayer Ishtiaque while trying to drive medium pacer Ghulam Ali. Javed scored 35 off 64 balls in 108 minutes inclusive of five fours.
Biman's slow progress came to an end at that point when Aminul joined Faruque. The partnership was broken by left-arm spinner Sharfuddowla Ibne Shahid, who bowled Faruque on 28 with a straight delivery. The Biman skipper, who took 75 balls for his 28, missed the line of the ball as he tried to sweep the southpaw through square leg.
After Faruque's departure with Biman on 126 in the 49th over, Aminul took the score to 179 with discarded national middle-order Habibul Bashar before being trapped leg before by Kalabagan's Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Saeed in the 62nd over.
Aminul, in his 124-ball stay at the crease, hammered five sweetly timed hits across the rope.
In the remaining 18 overs, Biman scored 96 runs. Almost all the lower orders batted well to take the score to a fighting total. If they can defend that against Kalabagan today, Biman will remain as the only unbeaten team in the 12-team league having won all their previous five matches.
At the Dhanmondi Stadium, Agrani Bank's moderate total of 221 against Victoria was built around two half centuries from Pakistani middle-order Shaheen Malik and one-down Rajin Saleh, who scored 61 and 53 runs respectively. Among others, Zakaria chipped in with an unbeaten 33.
In reply, Victoria were on 33 for no loss in 13 overs.
For Victoria, off-spinner Sabbir Khan returned with three for 47, while Rakib Hasan and Mustadir captured two wickets each.
Away at the BKSP, Sadharan Bima, electing to bat first, were shot out for a meagre 178 by Ajax Sporting. Indian Kamal Chopra saved the insurancemen from increased embarrassment with a dazzling 86 while his compatriot Rajinder Singh, who scored successive centuries in their previous two matches, was the other notable run-getter with 27.
Ajax's new-ball bowler Aminul Islam finished with three for 26.
In reply, Ajax were half way through by scoring 88 for one in 21 overs.
All the three matches will continue today.