Islami Bank East Zone and BCB South Zone advanced to the final of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL), the country’s first class cricket, after nail-biting finishes in the 3rd round of the event in Cox’s Bazar on Monday.

East Zone ended the league-phase with highest points beating BCB North Zone by eight wickets, riding on a back-to-back centuries by Yasir Ali at Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium in Cox’s Bazar.

Resuming the 2nd innings with overnight total of 145 for 5, North Zone were bowled out with 269 in 120.3 overs. Mahidul Islam Ankon was the highest scorer for them hitting 44 while Junaid Siddiqui and Sanjit Saha scored 36 runs each.

Nayeem Hasan bagged five wickets for 101 runs in 52 overs. He also took eight wickets in the first innings.

East Zone scored match winner 211 for 2 in 34.5 overs to win the game by eight wickets with Mohammad Ashraful and Yasir Ali guiding the team toward the victory.

Ashraful scored 70 off 86 runs with four fours while Yasir hammered 110 runs off 88 balls with eight fours and five sixes.

Brief score: North Zone 1st innings: 272/10 in 82.4 overs, Mushfiq 140, Naeem 31, Sunzamul 29, Nayeem 8/107, Hasan Mahmud 2/50.

Islami Bank East Zone 1st innings: 331/10 in 116.3 overs;  Yasir 165, Imrul 76, Nayeem 31, Afif 26, Sunzamul 7/115, Sanjit 3/75.

North Zone 2nd innings: 269/10 in 120.3 overs; Mahidul Islam Ankon 44, Junaid Siddiqui 36, Sanjit Saha36, Nayeem Hasan 5/101, Saqlain 2/58.

East Zone 2nd innings: 211/2 in 34.5 overs, Yasir 110, Ashraful 70, Sunzamul 1/61.

Walton Central Zone and BCB South Zone

South Zone resuming the 2nd innings with overnight total 159/4 and batted in the whole (final) day to settle for a draw as well as to qualify for the final. South Zone ended their second innings at 386 for 9 in 144 overs.

South Zone did the second one riding on the superb batting efforts of Shamsur Rahman and Nasum Ahmed.

Shamsur scored 133 off 230 balls with 18 fours and one six while Nasum scored 85 off 246 balls. They showed extreme patience at the Academy Ground of Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium in Cox’s Bazar.

In the last wicket stand, Farhad Reza (27 off 91) and Shafiul Islam (1 off 26) batted for 9.4 overs to hand a draw for South Zone.

Walton Central Zone were so close to winning the game, but the last wicket stand of South Zone snatched it narrowly.

Brief score: Walton Central Zone 1st innings: 235/10 in 82.2 overs, Marshall 116, Mustafizur 30, Mahedi 3/78, Shafiul 2/24, Abdur Razzak 2/62, Nasum 2/51.

South Zone 1st innings: 114/4 in 28.2 overs (declared), Nurul Hasan 48, Shamsur 25, Irfan 2/42.

Central Zone 2nd innings: 385/8 in 107 overs (declared), Shanto 253, Raqibul 39, Zabid Hossain 36, Nasum 4/85, Shafiul 2/48.

South Zone 2nd innings: 386/9 in 144 overs, (159/4 Second innings), Shamsur 133, Nasum 85, Anamul 83, Farhad Reza 27, Miraz 4/136, Shuvagata 3/59.

Faf du Plessis stepped down as captain of South Africa's test team on Monday ahead of an expected retirement from international cricket later this year.

Du Plessis quit as test and Twenty20 captain. He had already recently been replaced as one-day captain by Quinton de Kock.

De Kock, a wicketkeeper-batsman, is the front-runner to also replace du Plessis as captain in tests and T20s. He led South Africa in this month's T20 series against England while du Plessis was rested.

The 35-year-old du Plessis had led the test team as permanent captain since late 2016 and was captain in all three formats since 2017. He had stepped in as South Africa captain in a T20 series as early as 2012.

Du Plessis' decision was not a surprise.

He had indicated during the recent home test series against England that his time in charge was coming to an end. He said he'd committed to playing for South Africa until the World Twenty20 in Australia in October and November and that's now likely to be his swansong with the Proteas.

In tests, du Plessis will likely play one more series, when South Africa goes to the West Indies for a two-match series in July.

Du Plessis said it was the right time for him to step down and allow a new generation of leaders to emerge. He wanted to still play in all three formats for now, he said, and contribute as a batsman and senior player.

Du Plessis is the only South Africa test captain to win test series home and away against Australia and was one of the Proteas' best leaders.

Between 2016 and early 2018, South Africa won eight of nine test series home and away, beating Australia twice and India during that period. But the last year had been difficult with South Africa's loss of form on the field exacerbated by off-field issues at the national board, which has suspended its CEO amid allegations of mismanagement.

Du Plessis lost his last three test series in charge, at home to Sri Lanka, away to India and at home to England last month. During that England series, he said the last year had probably been the toughest he had experienced as captain.

"The last few weeks of rest away from the game have given me a lot of perspective on the great privilege and honor I have had in representing and leading my country in the three formats of this wonderful game," he said. "It has been a rewarding, sometimes tough and other times a lonely road, but I would not replace the experience for anything because it has made me the man that I am proud to be today."

Du Plessis is expected to be selected to play as a batsman in home T20 and ODI series against Australia, which start this week.

Captain Eoin Morgan hit 57 not out off just 22 balls to lead England to a Twenty20 series victory over South Africa on Sunday and a highly satisfying end to its three-month tour.

England chased down a challenging target of 223 in the third and final T20 to come from 1-0 down to take the series 2-1.

Morgan dealt exclusively in sixes for his boundaries, clubbing seven of them as England finished on 226-5 with five balls to spare for a five-wicket win.

South Africa made 222-6 at SuperSport Park after choosing to bat first.

Moeen Ali hit the four down the ground to seal the win for England but there was no doubt Morgan won it for his team.

The key partnership was Morgan's stand with Ben Stokes, which reaped 61 runs from 27 balls.

England needed 53 from the last four overs but Morgan launched two sixes in the 17th over, Stokes matched that feat with two maximums in the 18th over, and Morgan did it again with two sixes in the 19th.

Stokes, who scored 22 from 12, was caught on the boundary at the start of that second-to-last over and England still had work to do.

Morgan eased the tension by connecting with two low full tosses from Lungi Ngidi off successive balls. The first disappeared into the crowd over mid-wicket and the second went flying over the square leg boundary.

England ultimately only needed one run off the last six balls as Morgan's masterclass made it an easy win at the end.

"Extremely satisfying, particularly when I'm there at the end," Morgan said. "Nice note to end this tour on ... it's a hugely productive series for us."

England's 226-5 was its second-highest total batting second in T20s and the fifth-highest ever for a team batting second. Morgan's 50 came off 21 balls, equaling his own record set last year in New Zealand for the fastest T20 half century by an England player.

There were two other half centuries at the top of the order - 57 off 29 by Jos Buttler and 64 off 34 from Jonny Bairstow - to help England chase down what seemed a daunting target.

Play was briefly interrupted early in England's innings when climate activists wearing superhero costumes invaded the field, while others climbed a floodlight pylon to display a giant bright yellow banner.

The activists were protesting against air pollution in South Africa. Greenpeace Africa claimed responsibility on its Facebook page.

Earlier, Heinrich Klaasen, a surprise selection for South Africa, top-scored for the home team with 66 off 33 at his home ground and Temba Bavuma made 49 off 24.

The pitch was expected to be high-scoring and it didn't disappoint. Sixes flew in all directions, 13 in the South African innings and 15 in England's.

The victory gave England a winning end to the tour at the SuperSport Park ground in Centurion where it started with the first test in December.

England came from behind in every one of the three series, fighting back to win the test series 3-1, to draw the ODI series 1-1, and to win the T20 series 2-1.

The T20 success will be especially welcome for England with the 20-over World Cup in Australia in October and November. England lost to the West Indies in the final of the last T20 World Cup in 2016.

BCB South Zone have an uphill task to score 348 runs on the last day on Monday with six wickets in hand to post a win against Walton Central Zone in the 3rd round match of Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) at the academy ground of Sheikh Kamal International Stadium in Cox’s Bazar.

Walton Central Zone, having 235 runs in the first innings, resumed the 2nd innings on the 3rd day of the four-day affairs on Sunday and declared the innings on 385 runs for 8 in 107 overs, featuring an unbeaten double century by Najmul Hossain Shanto.  

Shanto, who returned to Test squad to play against Zimbabwe, hammered unconquered 253 runs off 310 balls, hitting 25 fours and 9 sixes while Zabid Hossain scored 74-ball 36 runs with five hits to the fence.

Nasum Ahmed grabbed four wickets for 85 runs.  

Chasing a target of 507 runs, South Zone opened the 2nd innings and scored 159 for 4 in 52 overs when the bails were drawn for the 3rd day (Sunday) with national coloured opener Anamul Haque Bijoy making 83 runs off 119 runs featuring five fours and seven sixes.

Two down Shamsur Rahman remained not out on 44 runs off 59 balls with seven boundaries while Fazle Mahmud made a patient 105-ball 25 runs hitting three boundaries.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz claimed two wickets for 55 runs.
    
Brief score: Walton Central Zone 1st innings: 235/10 in 82.2 overs, Marshall 116, Mustafizur 30, Mahedi 3/78, Shafiul 2/24, Abdur Razzak 2/62, Nasum 2/51
South Zone 1st innings: 114/4 in 28.2 overs (declared), Nurul Hasan 48, Shamsur 25, Irfan 2/42

Central Zone 2nd innings: 385/8 (declared) in 107 overs; (Overnight 209/6 in 69 overs), Shanto not out 253, Raqibul 39, Zabid 36, Nasum  4/85, Shafiul 2/48

Islami Bank East Zone vs BCB North Zone

In the other BCL match, BCB North Zone are leading by 86 runs against Islami Bank East Zone after the 3rd day of the 3rd round match at Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium in Cox’s Bazar on Sunday.

Replying to BCB North Zone’s 272 runs, Islami Bank East Zone resumed the first innings with overnight total of 261 for 7 in 96 overs and were all out for 331 runs in 116.3 overs.

Yasir Ali, who was on batting with 134 runs, finally contributed 165 runs off 318 balls featuring 17 fours and two sixes while Naeem Islam made 82-ball 31 runs hitting three boundaries.

Sanzamul Islam, who grabbed five wickets on the 2nd day (Saturday), finally picked up seven wickets for 115 runs while Sanjit Saha captured three wickets for 75 runs.   

Later, BCB North Zone opened the 2nd innings and scored 145 for 5 in 67 overs with former national skipper Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahidul Islam Ankon in batting with 23 and 22 runs respectively.

Nayeem Hasan took two wickets for 58 runs.  

Brief score: North Zone 1st innings: 272/10 in 82.4 overs, Mushfiq 140, Naeem 31, Sunzamul 29, Nayeem 8/107, Hasan Mahmud 2/50

Islami Bank East Zone 1st innings: 331/10 in 116.3 overs (Overnight 261/7 in 96 overs) Yasir 165, Imrul 76, Nayeem 31, Afif 26, Sunzamul 7/115, Sanjit 3/75

North Zone 2nd innings: 145/5 in 67 overs; Junaid Siddiqui 36, Naeem Islam 35, Mushfiqur Rahim batting 23, Mahidul Islam Ankon batting 22, Nayeem Hasan 2/58.

The interim Test captain of Zimbabwe, Craig Ervine, is eying a successful series in Bangladesh in the familiar conditions.

The visitors are playing cricket in Bangladesh on a regular basis and they played a series here last year, too.

“We’ve come to Bangladesh after a successful home series against Sri Lanka. It gave us good momentum after a long break.  We’re familiar with the local (Bangladesh) conditions as we travel here on a regular basis and obviously, we’ve come here to win,” Ervine told the media during their first practice session at the academy ground on Sunday after coming to Bangladesh.

Bangladesh are currently enduring a bad patch in Test cricket as they have lost all of their last three Tests by innings margin.

But, Ervine said they are not bothered about the performance of Bangladesh.

“Putting their results aside, we just have to concentrate on our processes and make sure we are not caught on the back foot on the first day of the Test match. We’ve a few new guys in the team. We’re trying to get them as comfortable as possible,” Ervine further told the media.

“I’m missing (Sean) Williams, (Kyle) Jarvis and (Tendai) Chatara. They’re big players for us. But it opens the doors for other guys. There’re opportunities for them to step up. Prince Masvaure and Kevin Kasuza opened against Sri Lanka and we’re calling upon them to do the same job in Bangladesh. It’s a challenge for them to accept and take it on,” he said.

The series will begin with the one-off Test starting on February 22 at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. After that, a three-match ODI series will be held in Sylhet on March 1, 3 and 6 respectively. The two teams will then battle for a two-match T20I series in Dhaka on March 9 and 11.