GP-BCB Academy beat SA Academy

The GP-BCB National Cricket Academy team made a good start in the three-match one-day series beating touring South Africa National Cricket Academy team by four wickets in the first one-dayer at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong Thursday, reports UNB. Batting first after winning the toss, the visiting South Africa team posted a moderate 213 runs for 8 in 50 overs with opener Dominic Hendricks scorring match highest 85 runs off 127 balls that featured five fours. Besides, Lefa Mosena (33), Hardus Viljeon (31) and Cody Chetty (30) were the other major contributors who reached double figures. Alauddin Babu claimed four wickets for 33 runs while Sanjamul Islam took three wickets for 42 runs. In reply, GP-BCB faced early batting collapse losing five wickets for just 25 runs in 9 overs, but confident batting by Asif Ahmed and Soumya Sarker enabled the home side to score match-winning 216 runs for 6 wickets in 46.4 overs. After the dismissal of five batsmen - Rony (0), Anamul (1), Mithun (9), Mominul (o), and Mysukur (14) - for 25 runs in seven overs, Asif pairing with Soumya carried the team total near victory scoring 139 runs in the 6th wicket stand. Number six batsman Asif Ahmed hammered not out 76 runs off 124 balls with six fours and was adjudged man of the match. Soumya Sarker scored 81 runs off 91 balls with seven fours and three sixes. Lower order Alauddin Babu, who earlier claimed four wickets, scored an unbeaten run-a-ball 21 with one four and a six. Hardus Viljeon captured three wickets for 30 runs while Dane Paterson took two wickets for 34 runs. The remaining two one day matches between the two Academy teams will be held on April 30 and May 2, both at the same venue.