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Bangladesh reach final beating HK by 59 runs in semis, meet Nepal in final today

Wednesday, 18 July 2007


Bangladesh reached the final of the first-ever Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Women's Cricket Tournament with all-win record beating Hong Kong by 59 runs in the semi-final at Johor Bahru in Malaysia Tuesday, reports UNB.
Bangladesh eves will play the final today (Wednesday) against another South Asian country Nepal, which booked a seat for the final crushing China by nine wickets in the day's other semis at the Johor Cricket Academy.
The 16-year-old left-arm spinner Champa Chakma was the main architect of Bangladesh win taking three wickets for 16 runs with a variety of top-spin, in-cutters and googlies that had all who faced her floundering.
Sent in to bat first, Bangladesh scored 100 runs for 7 wickets in stipulated 30 overs with Panna Ghosh contributing 39 runs.
Panna Ghosh and Salma Khatun, who scored 37 runs in a little over 10 overs in the fourth wicket partnership, did much to steady Bangladesh after they lost two wickets in two balls in the eighth over.
Salma Khatun and captain Tajkia Akhter scored 16 runs each while Tithi Rani Sarker made 10.
When Salma Khatun was out, flat-batting firmly to a terrific diving catch at cover by Samantha McIlwraith, Bangladesh were just about getting their noses in front. Three more wickets fell for 10 and Hong Kong were back in the game.
Had Panna Ghosh been held at long on when on 28 (one of three chances she offered) and two run-out chances taken, Bangladesh would have been in dire straits.
However, Bangladesh scored 20 runs in the last four overs and managed to reach their pre-match target of 100.
In reply, pre-tournament favourites Hong Kong were bowled out for 41 runs in 23.3 overs.
Apart from Champa Chakma's 3 wickets, Salma Khatun took two wickets for two runs, Panna Ghosh grabbed two for six runs and Shamima Akhter Pinky also took two.
Champa Chakma's second delivery fizzed past the edge, Pratt was out of her crease and the bails were whipped off. Even Bangladesh's manager screamed with joy.
If Chakma was too good for Pratt, she was way too good for the rest. Barely nudging four foot and from a part of Bangladesh (the Chittagong Hills) that didn't know of cricket until the 21st century, Chakma possesses a repertoire of which Monty Panesar would be proud.
The ball that did for Renee Montgomery would have foxed anyone and had even the umpire from her end, S Chandrasekaran, admiring it.
Earlier, Bangladesh moved to the semi-final outplaying both the UAE and Singapore by 10 wickets and beat China by 86 runs in the group matches.