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Abahani muddle thru’

Sports Reporter
Abahanl Krira ' Chakra moved Into the second round of the 18th Damal Smriti , cricket tourna
mcnt when the holders recorded their second successive victory against Victoria Sporting Club at the Dhaka Stadium yesterday.
Although Abahanl squeezed past Victoria by 26 runs, it was the underprepared pitch at big bowl which made life difficult for the batsmen of both winners • and losers. On the dicey pitch where ball not only kept low but occasionally tended to shoot, the two side managed to score only 288 runs at the expense of 17 wickets. But apart from Tlmir's in-swinger, which beat Rokon fare and square, most of the other sixteen wickets became the victim of a virtual-minefield.
With the tricky wicket playing foul. Abahani posted a struggling total of 157 for seven in their share of 50 overs. Thanks to a fighting 28 by lower-order bat Iqbal and a gutsy unbeaten 22 from number nine batsman MonJu. the popular Dhanmondi outfit managed to muster a fighting total after losing half of their wickets for only 73 runs.
In reply. Victoria were all out for 131 in 47.2 overs. But in an eventful match, marked by a ten-minute layoff in the second session when umpire Nadir Shah ruled himself unavailable after getting his left-eye a bit soring, it was Victoria who were at one stage set to pull off an upset win.
Although the mediocre Premier Division outfit helplessly watched their two foreign recruits — Pakistani Amir Wasim and Indian Mohammad Ahnn d -- perishing cheaply while dealing with two low and devilish
deliveries. Victoria recovered from a poor start of 40/3 to a reassuring 74 with one-down Monlruzzaman and Rinku putting on 47 runs for the fourth wicket.
Monlruzzaman scored 13 off 17 balls before being caught at mid-off of the bowling of spinner Naimur Rahman in the 28th over. But the real rot started when a menacingly poised Rinku succumbed to yet another low delivery In the
34lh over.
The young right-hander, who scored a strokeful 35 off 47 balls, gave Abahani a real scare when ne pulled off Naimur for two huge sixes in successive overs before being bowled by left-arm spinner Gem.
Albeit Mohammad All scored 20, the second highest score in the Victoria total, the ■extremely watchful' batting of the robust right-hander only helped Abahani to take the match away from Victoria, who were at one stage required 62 runs from 99 balls with half of their wickets in hand.
In his painfully sedate 46-ball stay at the crease. Ail. who came into bat at number six, not only played out the overs without any purpose but also ran his wily partner Ekratn out. He was eventually out in the 46th when right-arm Abahani
seamer Zakir had him in front of Ilie wicket.
Zakir then went on to capture the wicket of Jashim in the same over, evaporating the hopes of a win for Victoria, who lost their last four wickets for only seven runs.
Earlier. Abahani skipper Akram Khan, who won the toss In the morning, in a surprise move opted to bat first. And later on. Akram probably cursing himself for the decision as five of the Abahani batsmen returned to the dressing room with the scoreboard reading at 73 in 30.1 overs. Opener Azam scored a plucky 14 while his left-handed partner Partho chipped in with a run-a-ball 12.
Akram made 19 and Naimur Rahman scored 13 before both becoming victims of low deliveries from Amir Wasim.
The prospect of a modest total appeared to be too ambitious when Abahani laboured to reach the three figure mark in the 41 st over. But thanks to an invaluable 33 run stand for the undefeated seventh wicket between Iqbal and MonJu. which turned out to be a match-winning contribution in the end.
TODAY'S MATCHES
Mohammedan SC vs SurJo Tarun Club (DS)
Lalmatia Club vs Sadharan Bima KS (DCG)
Kalabagan KC vs Gulshan Youth (DCS)
Wari Club vs GMCC (CCG)