Comfortable victory for Zimbabwe over Bangladesh in first One-Day International
On a beautiful sunny morning at Harare Sports Club, Bangladesh unwittingly signed their own death warrant by deciding to bat against Zimbabwe
John Ward
07-Apr-2001
On a beautiful sunny morning at Harare Sports Club, Bangladesh unwittingly
signed their own death warrant by deciding to bat against Zimbabwe. Those
who have known the pitches at Harare Sports Club over the last couple of
years would probably have fielded first, as the pitch tends to be liveliest
at the start of a match and settle down later. The amount of rain during
the past two months made it deceptively favourable to seamers, and Zimbabwe
would certainly have fielded given the choice.
Blignaut bowls Akram Photo AFP |
The result was that Bangladesh could score only 151 for eight in their 50
overs, a total that never challenged Zimbabwe who enjoyed the better
batting conditions but took more than 43 overs to complete their task.
This was actually a considerable recovery for the tourists after their first
four wickets had fallen for 14 runs, virtually ending the match as a
contest.
The most likely hope of salvaging anything from batting in these
conditions would be to play safe but Bangladesh were too eager to get the score moving and paid the penalty. Heath Streak picked up one wicket and Bryan Strang two, both moving the ball sharply off the pitch, while Habibul Bashar was run out without facing a ball as the batsmen unwisely took on Guy Whittall's arm attempting a second run.
In the circumstances, Bangladesh's recovery was highly commendable.
Although frequently troubled by the ball just outside off stump, Akram
Khan (35) and Naimur Rahman (19) dug in to see off the opening seamers.
Andy Blignaut bowled superbly, but it was David Mutendera who broke
through with two more wickets. He had Naimur caught at third man and yorked
Khaled Masud without scoring in the same over.
Mushfiqur Rahman then stood in the breach with Akram and the pressure
gradually relaxed, but it never looked as if Bangladesh would be able to set
Zimbabwe a challenging target. The home crowd generously cheered the
tourists as the hundred came up with six wickets down in the 39th over.
They had added 64, a new record for Bangladesh's seventh wicket in One-Day
Internationals, when Mushfiqur (31) was well caught at short leg off
Blignaut, and immediately afterwards Akram's gallant innings came to an end
at 35, well yorked by the same bowler.
Still Bangladesh continued to fight, with Mohammad Rafique playing some
powerful strokes, aided by Mohammad Sharif, but they still lack experience
in scoring quickly at the death, while Zimbabwe gave nothing away. They
just succeeded in reaching 150 before their time ran out.
Zimbabwe did not get away as smoothly as they would have wished, and there
were signs that the batsmen were perhaps not as focused as they might have
been. Mohammad Sharif secured the first wicket, bowling Alistair Campbell
for five off the inside edge of his diagonal bat.
The Bangladeshi bowling was not quick but it was tight; Whittall became somewhat becalmed but Stuart Carlisle played confidently and well. When left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique came on, Carlisle hit him for two successive sixes to take his score to 37 while Whittall was still on nine. Then he went surprisingly quiet until he prodded at Rafique and was caught at the wicket for 40 to leave Zimbabwe 73 for two.
Bangladesh celebrate the wicket of Carlisle Photo AFP |
Whittall eventually fell for a laborious 26, caught at backward point, but
the scoring rate remained at about three an over, with Bangladesh keeping it
tight and Zimbabwe uninspired. The hundred did not come up until the 34th
over and even Andy Flower seemed unable to get out of second gear until he
suddenly swung Naimur over square leg for six twice in an over, soon after
being given not out to an apparent slight edge to the keeper. The rate
might have been lower but for some Bangladeshi clumsiness in the field.
Finally, with victory close, the Flower brothers opened up, taking Zimbabwe
home by seven wickets in the 44th over. Andy finished on 40 and Grant 32,
and Dion Ebrahim on his debut did not get a bat. Bryan Strang was adjudged
Man of the Match for his fine bowling.