Bennett helps Kiwis restrain Bangladesh
New Zealand restricted Bangladesh to 257 for nine in the third game of the Tri-Series in Ireland despite three batsmen making half centuries yesterday. Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmuduallah all reached 50 but none could go on and Sarkar ended up as the top scorer with 61.
Hamish Bennett, the one change in the Black Caps line-up which beat Ireland in their first match on Sundayhe replaced Scott Kuggeleijn-was rewarded for an economical 10-over spell with two wickets in the last over to finish with three for 30. Bangladesh also had to had make one change to their first line-up with captain Mashrafe Mortaza, who had been suspended for the Ireland game last Friday, returning in place of Taskin Ahmed.
The Tigers enjoyed a bright start with Tamim Iqbal and Sarkar putting on 72 for the first wicket but they had lost two wickets by the first drinks break with Tamin caught on the cover boundary for 23 and eight balls later, Sabbir Rahman was bowled by Mitchell Santner, the Black Caps five-wicket man of the match on Sunday.
Santner was even more economical yesterday, conceding just 37 runs, but that was his only wicket and it was Ish Sodhi who upstaged him with two for 40, ending Sarkar’s 67-ball innings which included just five boundaries. Despite the short boundaries at the compact Clontarf ground, Bangladesh struggled to find them with Mahmudullah the most successful, hitting six in his 51 while Mushfiqur hit the only six of the innings in his 55.
Mosaddek Hossain picked up the pace in the closing stages with a run-aball 41 (four fours) but it was New Zealand-three places higher than Bangladesh in the rankings-who will be the happier at the break. Despite having 10 players away at the Indian Premier League, they continue to look an impressive outfit although Jimmy Neesham’s two wickets cost 68 runs and Seth Rance in his second ODI, had figures of 0-66 in his nine overs.
INDIA CONFIRM WINDIES TOUR
In other news, India will embark on a limited-overs tour of West Indies next month, soon after the Champions Trophy, their cricket boards have announced. Beginning on June 23 at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, India will play five one-day games which will be followed by a Twenty20 International at Jamaica’s Sabina Park on July 9.
West Indies failed to make the cut for Champions Trophy in England and Wales which features only top eight one-day teams. They will subsequently host Afghanistan for three Twenty20 and as many one-day internationals between June 2-14. India will be defending their title at the Champions Trophy, the final of which is scheduled on June 18. “We are all looking forward to hosting the Indian Cricket Team so soon after Afghanistan’s inaugural tour of the Caribbean,” West Indies Cricket Board chief executive Johnny Grave said in a statement. “The five-match ODI series gives our young side the opportunity of playing one of the world’s best 50-over sides, and we hope for a competitive series as we strive for automatic qualification for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.” —Agencies