Bangladesh clinch ODI series against Ireland
Friday, 21 March 2008
A five-wicket haul by right-arm medium pacer Farhad Reza enabled Bangladesh to secure the Ispahani ODI Series against Ireland 2-0 with one match in hand outplaying the visitors by 84 runs in the 2nd match at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS) here Thursday, reports UNB.
Defending a fighting total of 246, Reza scalped five wickets for 42 runs in 10 overs as the tourists were forced to fold their innings at 162 in 38.3 overs. Farhad was later adjudged man of the match.
After Ireland lost 5 wickets for 92 runs, middle order batsmen -- Andre Botha and Alex Cusack -- stabilized the chase with a half-century stand before a sudden wicket burst by Reza saw Ireland crashing from 144 for 5 to 147 for 9. Then the victory for Bangladesh was just a matter of time.
Number six Botha appeared to be the inning’s highest scorer with 34 off 36 balls that featured two fours while Porterfield 25, Cusack 24 were the other notable scorers.
Apart from Reza, left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak Raj claimed three wickets for 27 runs while another spinner Shakib Al Hasan bagged two wickets for 16 runs.
Earlier opting to bat first after winning the toss, top order Bangladesh batsmen Shahriar Nafees and Aftab Ahmed set the tone with nice half-centuries before a late-innings uplift by Mashrafe Mortaza propelled the score to 246 for 8 in the stipulated 50 overs.
Openers -- Tamim Iqbal and Nafees -- laid a solid foundation with a 94-run stand and ensured no early loss of wickets. Tamim, a naturally aggressive player, played out 85 balls for his 46 before being caught by Kevin in the deep mid-wicket region off a delivery of Langford-Smith in the 26th over.
Nafees then followed Tamim scoring yet another half century compiling a patient 60 off 92 balls before he was run-out, attempting a risky second run at the team total of 135 for 2 in 34.2 overs.
Then Aftab and skipper Mohammad Ashraful guided the innings with the highest partnership of the match, 64, for the third wicket, before Ireland clawed back with quick wickets.
Aftab was the 3rd batsman to return to the pavilion topscoring 61 off 57 balls with two fours and two sixes before falling to a miss-timed pull to Johnston at square leg in the 43rd over.
Langford-Smith then sent back Reza and Shakib in quick succession to set Bangladesh back at 211 for 5 before Ashraful fell for a run-a-ball 38 to Botha with the score at 223.
Mortaza's little cameo 26 off 15 balls, which included three fours and a six, pushed his side close to the 250-mark.
Langford-Smith, who finished with 3 for 43, was Ireland's most successful bowler.
The third ODI of the series will also be held at the SBNS Saturday, which will give the tiger's a real opportunity to have a series sweep.
Bangladesh earlier handed an eight-wicket defeat to Ireland Tuesday in the first ODI, also at the SBNS.
Defending a fighting total of 246, Reza scalped five wickets for 42 runs in 10 overs as the tourists were forced to fold their innings at 162 in 38.3 overs. Farhad was later adjudged man of the match.
After Ireland lost 5 wickets for 92 runs, middle order batsmen -- Andre Botha and Alex Cusack -- stabilized the chase with a half-century stand before a sudden wicket burst by Reza saw Ireland crashing from 144 for 5 to 147 for 9. Then the victory for Bangladesh was just a matter of time.
Number six Botha appeared to be the inning’s highest scorer with 34 off 36 balls that featured two fours while Porterfield 25, Cusack 24 were the other notable scorers.
Apart from Reza, left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak Raj claimed three wickets for 27 runs while another spinner Shakib Al Hasan bagged two wickets for 16 runs.
Earlier opting to bat first after winning the toss, top order Bangladesh batsmen Shahriar Nafees and Aftab Ahmed set the tone with nice half-centuries before a late-innings uplift by Mashrafe Mortaza propelled the score to 246 for 8 in the stipulated 50 overs.
Openers -- Tamim Iqbal and Nafees -- laid a solid foundation with a 94-run stand and ensured no early loss of wickets. Tamim, a naturally aggressive player, played out 85 balls for his 46 before being caught by Kevin in the deep mid-wicket region off a delivery of Langford-Smith in the 26th over.
Nafees then followed Tamim scoring yet another half century compiling a patient 60 off 92 balls before he was run-out, attempting a risky second run at the team total of 135 for 2 in 34.2 overs.
Then Aftab and skipper Mohammad Ashraful guided the innings with the highest partnership of the match, 64, for the third wicket, before Ireland clawed back with quick wickets.
Aftab was the 3rd batsman to return to the pavilion topscoring 61 off 57 balls with two fours and two sixes before falling to a miss-timed pull to Johnston at square leg in the 43rd over.
Langford-Smith then sent back Reza and Shakib in quick succession to set Bangladesh back at 211 for 5 before Ashraful fell for a run-a-ball 38 to Botha with the score at 223.
Mortaza's little cameo 26 off 15 balls, which included three fours and a six, pushed his side close to the 250-mark.
Langford-Smith, who finished with 3 for 43, was Ireland's most successful bowler.
The third ODI of the series will also be held at the SBNS Saturday, which will give the tiger's a real opportunity to have a series sweep.
Bangladesh earlier handed an eight-wicket defeat to Ireland Tuesday in the first ODI, also at the SBNS.