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Shuvagata Hom, Abu Hider lead Central Zone's 77-run win

Abu Hider is pumped up after picking up a wicket Raton Gomes/BCB

Shuvagata Hom and Abu Hider shared nine wickets between them in the fourth innings as Central Zone beat South Zone by 77 runs in Sylhet. After the two sides were in a near deadlock after their respective first innings, South Zone were bowled out for 188 runs while chasing 266 on the last day.

In Central Zone's first innings, Abdul Mazid made an unbeaten 141, most of it during his 10th-wicket stand with Shahidul Islam who made 58 off 75 with eight fours and two sixes. Mazid struck 13 fours and five sixes to carry them to 282.

Fazle Mahmud led South Zone's reply with 94 off 194 balls that had 13 fours. He was involved in a 77-run second-wicket stand with opener Shahriar Nafees (71). Veteran left-arm spinner Mosharraf Hossain took 4 for 53 as South Zone conceded a one-run lead.

Liton Das' 84 led Central Zone in the second innings as they made 264. He struck 12 fours in his brisk 95-ball knock. Offspinner Mahedi Hasan took five wickets, and despite Nafees' second half-century in the game, South Zone were bowled out in 49.5 overs. Shuvagata took 5 for 53 while Hider finished with 4 for 44.

The Rajshahi game between North Zone and East Zone was a high-scoring draw with centuries from North Zone batsmen Naeem Islam, Jahurul Islam and Farhad Hossain.

Batting first, North Zone scored 445 with Naeem making 137 with 16 fours and a six. Jahurul scored his 15th first-class hundred - 104 off 163 balls with 15 fours. Nineteen-year-old medium-pacer Hasan Mahmud took three late wickets in his 4 for 44.

Yasir Ali (94), Farhad Reza (85), Mohammad Saifuddin (64), Rony Talukdar (54) and Enamul Haque jnr (51) struck fifties as East Zone reached 443 in reply.

In the 45.3 overs remaining in the game, Farhad crammed in an unbeaten 103 off 128 balls with 12 fours and a six. Sabbir Rahman and Junaid Siddique scored quickfire fifties as North Zone ended on 270 for 4 with a run rate of almost six per over.