Khulna Division v Sylhet Division at Jessore, 23 Jan 2004

Chittagong Division v Dhaka Division at Comilla, 23 Jan 2004

Rajshahi Division v Barisal Division at Rangpur, 23 Jan 2004

Draws were the order of the day as neither Dhaka, Sylhet nor Chittagong could force a result in their Ispahani Mirzapore Tea Fifth National Cricket League matches yesterday.

The three teams, however, could be satisfied having collected first innings points.

Dhaka head the table with 28 points. Second-placed Sylhet are on 22 points while Chittagong, Rajshahi and Barisal lag behind in third place on 14 points. Reigning champions Khulna are struggling at the bottom with 12 points.

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Young right-arm pacer Habib Muballik picked up two wickets with the last two balls of the game as Chittagong scored a sensational one-run victory over holders Dhaka to take a solo lead in the limited-overs Ispahani Mirzapore Tea Fifth National Cricket League at the Comilla Stadium yesterday.

Needing seven runs off the last over, Dhaka, chasing 224 for victory, managed four runs off the first five deliveries of the 19-year-old all-rounder. But Muballik, who led a Bangladesh Cricket Development Foundation team to the final of the recently concluded Commonwealth competition in India, denied the one-day kings removing Neeyamur Rashid (27) and Elias Sunny (3).

Muballik was declared man-of-the-match. Off-spinner Sabbir Khan captured four wickets for 30 runs in 10 overs as Dhaka eventually finished on 222-9.

Earlier, an Azam Iqbal half-century helped Chittagong to score 223 for nine in 50 overs after deciding to bat. The right-hander cracked 53 off 90 balls.

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The Mirzapore Tea Fifth National Cricket League begins at three different venues across the country today.

Six divisions -- Dhaka, Chitta-gong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet and Barisal -- will feature in the only first-class competition of the domestic calendar. The home and away basis event comprises a four-day match followed by a limited-overs game.

Bangladesh skipper Khaled Mahmud will lead a star-studded Dhaka against an unheralded Barisal at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium. Former national left-arm paceman Anisur Rahman will head a depleted southern division, which has so for failed to make an impression in the previous four editions.

Country's top batsman Habibul Bashar will skipper holders of four-day version Khulna, who emerged as the surprise force last year. They will take on Sylhet in another opening day fixture at the Sylhet Stadium.

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