On the second day in - walton the second round of A NCL the 20th National

Cricket League (NCL), the batsmen once again returned to the fore with a total of three centuries being scored yesterday.

Among the three hundreds, two came from Rajshahi openers Mizanur Rahman and Nazmul Hossain Shanto in their Tier-1 match against Rangpur at the Sheikh Kamruzzaman stadium in Rajshahi.

Resuming the day on 99 without loss, both Mizanur and Nazmul went on to strike their respective centuries, helping Rajshahi take control of the game. Rajshahi ended the day on 419 for two and now lead the four-day match by 268 runs after Rangpur were all-out on just 151 runs in their first innings.

The pair added 311 runs for the opening wicket before Nazmul was dismissed on 173 runs off 313 balls, laced with 23 fours, while Mizanur was eventually out on 165 runs off 216 balls, his second consecutive hundred ofthe league, featuring 22 fours.

In the Tier-2 encounter at the Khan

Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah, Shadman Islam also struck his second consecutive hundred of the league for Dhaka Metropolis, who are heading towards a big lead against Dhaka Division.

Shadman, who scored his highest first-class tally of 186 runs off 313 balls

including 21 fours and a six, will resume the third day with his sights set on his maiden double ton. Dhaka Metropolis ended the day on312for4.

At the Sheikh Abu Naser stadium in Khulna, the hosts are in a spot of bother in their encounter with Barishal as they ended on 199 for 6 and trailing by 100 runs.

Khulna kept losing wickets at regular intervals in the Tier-1 match, where Mohammad Mithun's 72 was the highest score for the batting side. After resuming the day on 266 for 8, Barishal were all-out on 299.

Meanwhile, in the otherTier-2 fixture between Chattogram and Sylhet at the Sheikh Kamal International cricket Stadium in Cox's Bazar, rain forced an end to the entire day’s play without a single ball being bowled.