Ripon leads NCL fitness test

Pace bowler Ripon Mondol led around 350 cricketers in a mandatory fitness assessment at the National Stadium on Tuesday as players stepped up preparations for the National Cricket League (NCL), which begins on 3 October.

The 23-year-old clocked the fastest time, completing the 1,600-metre run in 5 minutes and 41 seconds. Anik Deb Barman was second in 5:52, while Under-19 World Cup-winning captain Azizul Hakim Tamim and several other Under-19 players completed the test in under six minutes.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB)’s benchmark required players to complete four laps of the 400-metre track within 7:20.

Naim Sheikh finished in 6:19, Sabbir Rahman in 6:22, Nurul Hasan Sohan in 6:38 and Khulna captain Mohammad Mithun between 6:49 and 6:55.

Sohag Gazi of Barishal and Sylhet’s Tawfique Khan Tushar failed to meet the benchmark.

Players who fail are given 10 days for remedial training before a second attempt, with a third and final opportunity available after another 10 days.