Two thrillers on the same day
Sylhet Division's three-run win over Dhaka Metropolis in Tier 2 was the narrowest victory in the NCL's history. The second-narrowest win also came on the same day, when Rangpur Division beat Barisal Division by five runs in Tier 1.
Sylhet's hero was Khaled Ahmed, who picked up five-fors in both innings to end with match figures of 10 for 139. He completed his maiden first-class 10-wicket haul - and the first by a fast bowler in six years in Bangladesh's first-class cricket - by having last man Arafat Sunny lbw when Dhaka Metro needed just four to win.
Ebadot Hossain and Enamul Haque jnr took two wickets each in the fourth innings. Opener Shadman Islam stuck around for more than three hours to score 78 in a chase of 197, but his dismissal - which ended a sixth-wicket stand of 59 with Zabid Hossain - spelled the end for Dhaka Metro, who lost their last four wickets for 15 runs.
Khaled took 5 for 85 in Dhaka Metro's first innings to give Sylhet a 12-run first-innings lead. Left-arm quick Qazi Onik's 5 for 57 had brought Dhaka Metro into the contest, helping bowl Sylhet out for 184 in their second innings, but Khaled ensured Sylhet completed their first win in more than a year.
In Rangpur, paceman Robiul Haque took 4 for 63 as Rangpur bowled out Barisal six runs short of their fourth-innings target of 230. Al-Amin's 52 gave Barisal a chance after they had slipped to 22 for 3, but they kept losing wickets, and fell short despite 46 from No. 8 Nuruzzaman.
Earlier in the game, both sides were bowled out for 147 in their first innings. Barisal's Sohag Gazi took 5 for 40 while Rangpur's Subashis Roy replied with 5 for 49. In Rangpur's second innings, Mahmudul Hasan made 67 in more than five hours, hitting just two boundaries in his 180-ball stay.
Breaking the duck
Chittagong Division won a first-class game for the first time in four-and-a-half years, when they beat Dhaka Division by eight wickets in Cox's Bazar. Mominul Haque and Tasamul Haque took Chittagong home on the fourth morning with an unbroken 183-run stand for the third wicket, after offspinner Nayeem Hasan had set up the win with career-best figures of 11 for 145.
Nayeem took eight wickets in the first innings to help bowl Dhaka out for 288, and three more in the second innings as Dhaka folded for 151, to bring Chittagong roaring back into the game after conceding a 50-run first-innings lead.
Mominul struck his 15th first-class century in Chittagong's chase of 202, remaining unbeaten on 111 off 115 balls with 11 fours and two sixes. Tasamul's unbeaten 89 came off 110 balls with 13 fours and one six.
Points to ponder
While so much happened in the other three matches, Rajshahi Division took a big lead in the Tier-1 points table with an eight-wicket win over defending champions Khulna Division. They are now on 22.81 points, more than four ahead of second-placed Rangpur Division.
Despite their three-run loss, Dhaka Metro remain on top of Tier 2 with 20.59 points, with Chittagong in second on 15.50.