Ashok Menaria takes Doleshwar to top spot

Ashok Menaria’s impressive all-round performance led Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club to the top of the DPL points table with a five-wicket win over Gazi Group Cricketers in Mirpur.

Menaria’s unbeaten 61-ball 59 that included two fours and sixes steered Doleshwar’s chase of 214 after hostile opening spells from pacers Mohammad Sharif and Sajedul Islam had reduced them to 70 for 3 in the 24th over.

Wicketkeeper Anamul Haque took a brilliant catch after opener Imtiaz Hossain top-edged a pull. Just as the ball was going over his head, Anamul leapt backwards and completed a one-handed catch to give Gazi Group an early breakthrough. Robiul Islam Robi and Raqibul Hasan added 42 runs in the next 11.4 overs before their wickets, in the space of five overs, tied Gazi Group down.

Menaria lifted Doleshwar by first adding 64 runs for the fourth wicket with Nasir Hossain, who scored 40 off 56 balls, and then 70 runs for the fifth wicket with Rony Talukdar, who made 43 off 45 balls. Sharif and Sajedul’s efforts with the ball were undone by sloppy fielding. Gazi Group dropped as many as five catches, and both bowlers had to settle with one wicket each.

Earlier, Gazi Group had slipped to 97 for 5 by the 33rd over, with both in-form openers Anamul and Shamsur Rahman falling cheaply. Elias Sunny’s 46 dragged his side past 150, after which a 51-run stand for the eighth …

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