North crush East by innings, 28 runs

Holders Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) North Zone brightened their chance to retain the league title with a convincing innings and 28-run victory over Islami Bank East Zone on the 3rd day of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium at Mirpur in the city on Thursday, reports UNB.

After the match, BCB North Zone dominated the league table comfortably securing 58 points. Islami Bank East Zone followed them distantly with 40 points from five matches each and Prime Bank South Zone bagged 38 and Walton Central Zone 29 points playing four matches.

BCB North Zone will play Prime Bank South Zone at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna. Islami Bank East Zone will face Walton Central Zone at Shaheed Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi.

In the 5th round match, Islami Bank East Zone resumed the first innings on Thursday morning with their overnight collection of 110 for no loss in 27 overs replying to North Zone's first innings of 415 runs. But they were miserably all out for 217 runs in 63.2 overs to be the victim of follow on due to lower order collapse.

Victim of follow-on, Islami Bank East Zone opened the 2nd innings and again were dismissed cheaply for 170 runs in 38.2 overs to concede the humiliating innings defeat.

Meanwhile, Prime Bank South Zone took a 237-run lead in the 2nd innings with four wickets remaining in hand against Walton Central Zone after the 3rd day's play of the 5th round four-day match of Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) at Shaheed Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi on Thursday.

Mosaddek Hossain (22*) and Ziaur Rahman (17*) were at the crease in the 7th wicket stand when the bails were drawn for the 3rd day.

In reply to Central Zone's 302 runs in the 1st innings, South Zone -- having 191 runs in the 1st innings -- resumed the 2nd innings with overnight score of 50/1 in 19 overs and raised the tally to 348/6* in 83 overs at stumps spurred by Mohammad Mithun's century and Tushar Imran's half century on day-3.