Monday, August 24, 2009

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Shakib stars as Bangladesh defeat Zimbabwe

Shakib Al Hasan slammed 104 to help propel Bangladesh to a 49-run win over Zimbabwe and establish a 2-0 lead in their best of five One Day International series at the Queen's Sports Club on Tuesday.

Al Hasan's efforts helped his country to their highest ODI score of 320-8 in 50 overs with Zimbabwe totalling 271 all out in 46.1 overs.

Tamim Iqbal's beefy 79 likewise underpinned the tourists before he was run out - with Al Hasan himself suffering a similar fate.

That proved too tough a call for Zimbabwe to match, though half-centuries from Charles Coventry and Sean Williams saw them put up a strong fight.

Coventry found offspinner Naeem Islam to his liking as he slammed two big sixes but the pressure of keeping that going proved too much for both him and Williams.

Elton Chigumbura also weighed in with a defiant 31 but could not save a result for the hosts - beaten by eight wickets in the first match on Sunday - as he was run out at the death.

Shakib began slowly but then found increasing momentum and took full advantage of the batting Powerplay with some spectacular hitting - as well as some less than neat fielding, which saw him dropped twice.

Thereafter he raced on gratefully to bring up his hundred in 63 balls off Ed Rainsford before he was run out as he and Mushfiqur Rahim went for an over-ambitious three.

Mohammad Ashraful, whose weekend ton in Bulawayo helped land the opening ODI, this time could only manage 22 before falling LBW to Chamu Chibhabha

Bangladesh 320-8 in 50 overs

Bangladesh scored 320-8 in 50 overs against Zimbabwe in the second match of the GrameenPhone Cup ODI Series against Zimbabwe at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Tuesday.

The star of the show was skipper Shakib Al Hasan, who hit a whirlwind 104 off just 64 balls being he was run out.

He slammed nine fours and four sixes.

Opener Tamim Iqbal hit his second fifty of the five-match series before also being run out for 79 off 105 balls.

Raqibul Hasan (35). Junaed Siddique (27), Mushfiqur Rahim (23 not out) and Mohammad Ashraful (22) were the other batsmen to reach double digits.

Elton Chigumbura bagged 3-59 and Chamu Chibhabha took 1-51.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Zimbabwe v Bangladesh 2009

Nazmul Hossain dismisses Chamu Chibhabha, Zimbabwe v Bangladesh, 1st ODI, Bulawayo, August 9, 2009

Monday, August 3, 2009

Wake up call

The West Indies romped to a five-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a Twenty20 match on Sunday after a disciplined bowling performance and four run outs from direct hits in the field.

The home team, weakened throughout the series by the absence of its leading players due to contract wrangles, finally won its first match against Bangladesh on tour after the visitors had swept the preceding test and one-day series.

The West Indies, led by two wickets and two run outs from Darren Sammy, limited Bangladesh to 118-9 off 20 overs at Warner Park.

The hosts lost a wicket on the first ball of its reply but Devon Smith (37 off 27 balls) and Travis Dowlin (37 not out off 37 balls) forged the comfortable path to victory at 119-5 with 19 balls to spare.

Bangladesh, after winning the toss and batting, dipped into early trouble when three wickets fell in five balls with the score at 12.

Medium-pacer Sammy (2-33) led the way as Junaid Siddique (5) and Mohammad Ashraful (0) were dispatched off successive deliveries.

Siddique sliced into the off side from the leading edge, while Ashraful scooped straight to short fine leg. Fast bowler Gavin Tonge added the scalp of Tamim Iqbal (7) next over as the left-hander clipped an ondrive to midwicket.

Captain Shakib-al-Hasan and Naeem Islam revived the visitors in a fourth-wicket stand of 31. But once Shakib was bowled around his back by Nikita Miller's left-arm spin and Naeem was the first of the four run outs, the innings fell away again.

Shakib was bowled around his legs as he missed a sweep while wicketkeeper Devon Thomas easily ran out Naeemafter the batsman sought a single.

Bangladesh slipped to 66-7 as Miller (2-22) added his second scalp as Raqibul was lbw sweeping and Mushfiqur Rahim was run out by Andre Fletcher.

Mahmudullah (21 off 27 balls) guided the lower order but Bangladesh's total was well below par.

Dale Richards chopped Shakib onto his stumps the first ball of West Indies' chase as Bangladesh sniffed a chance.

But left-hander Smith dominated a second wicket stand of 46 with Fletcher to put West Indies on course.

Fletcher (8) fell to Nazmul Hossain and Smith departed to fellow fast bowler Rubel Hossain at 67-3.

But Dowlin, one of the new West Indian players to enhance his reputation in this series, hit five fours, including the winning runs, to seal a satisfying win.

Captain Floyd Reifer added 22 off 20 balls and although he and vice-captain Sammy fell to Ashraful near the end, the victory was never in doubt.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Bangladesh beats WIndies by three wickets


All-rounder Mahmudullah hit an unbeaten 51 Friday to push Bangladesh to a tense three-wicket victory and a 3-0 series sweep over West Indies in the third and final one-day cricket international.

The right-hander, who earlier took 2-38 with his off-spin, struck two fours and a six off 70 balls as the visitors reached their target of 249-7 with seven balls to spare.

Junaid Siddique contributed 55 while fellow opener Tamim Iqbal (30), Mushfiqur Rahim (31) and Naeem Islam (26) also posted important contributions.

Fast bowler Kemar Roach claimed 4-63 and Darren Sammy, 2-37 to lead the home team.

Earlier, West Indies was bowled out for 248 off 47.4 overs.

Opener Andre Fletcher led with 52 off 42 balls while Sammy (40), captain Floyd Reifer (40) and Travis Dowlin (38).

Mahmudullah, medium pacer Mahbubul Alam (2-42) and left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak (2-63) spearheaded the visitors' attack.

"We were all looking forward to this ODI series and we did well," Shakib said after lifting the Digicel Trophy. "We're very happy."

Shakib, named man of the series for his all-round contributions, praised Mahmudullah's match-winning effort.

"It is a team effort. Everyone is chipping in every time and when the team is under pressure, someone is doing the job for the team," Shakib said.

Siddique and Tamim launched Bangladesh's chase in emphatic fashion with an opening stand of 54 off 50 balls.

But West Indies hit back with some crucial scalps.

Tamim blasted five fours and a six off 27 balls before he slapped Sammy straight to mid-off.

Bangladesh soon slipped to 96-3 once David Bernard Jr. claimed Mohammad Ashraful (19) and Roach scalped Raqibul Hasan (5).

Ashraful edged to the wicket-keeper while Raqibul fell to a sensational low catch at extra cover from Reifer.

Siddique and Shakib added 32 for the fourth wicket but the West Indies seized the initiative as both batsmen fell in quick succession to Roach.

Siddique, after hitting six fours off 73 balls, lost his leg stump to a slower ball while Shakib miscued a pull to extra cover at 133-5.

Roach should have added the wicket of Mahmudullah but Sammy floored a tough, low catch at first slip before the 23-year-old had scored.

Mahmudullah made the most of that let-off and in successive partnerships with Mushfiqur and Naeem, steered his side home.

He added 50 with Mushfiqur before the wicket-keeper was harshly ruled out caught down the leg side off Sammy.

Then, Mahudullh and Naeem put on 49 to set up the series sweep. Naeem fell for 26 off 22 balls to give West Indies a sniff but the visitors held on for the historic win.

Earlier, the West Indies was in early peril after winning the toss and batting on a true pitch.

Kieran Powell, a 19-year-old on his debut, fell to the second ball of the match as he was trapped plumb lbw by Mahbubul.

Soon afterwards, it was 10-2 when Devon Smith (4) mowed across the line and was bowled by Mahbubul's new ball mate, Nazmul Hossain.

Fletcher and the in-form Travis Dowlin revived the innings in a third wicket stand of 76 off 72 balls.

The 21-year-old Fletcher brought up his maiden one-day fifty, off 40 balls with eight fours and three sixes. But the right-hander perished soon afterwards as he holed out to long-on off Razzak's left-arm spin.

The innings wobbled again as Dowlin was run out after a mix-up with Reifer and Bernard Jr. fell at 124-5 in the 28th over.

Dowlin hesisted on a single and was undone by Ashraful's throw while Bernard (1) lofted to long-on off Mahmudullah.

Reifer, and Sammy again boosted their team with contrasting innings.

Reifer, scratchily compiled 40 off 79 balls with a six and three fours while Sammy blasted five fours and two sixes off 33 balls.

But they fell within two runs of each other as Bangladesh kept a tight rein.

Reifer clipped an ondrive to midwicket off Mahbubul while Sammy tamely hit a return catch to Razzak at 190-7.

Wicket-keeper Devon Thomas rallied the lower order with a composed, unbeaten 29 off 32 balls with two fours.

Nikita Miller (13) and Kemar Roach (10) helped push the total up to 248.