B’desh suffers Shakik ‘blow’
KHULNA, Bangladesh, Dec 1, (AFP): Bangladesh suffered a crucial blow when their star all-rounder Shakib al Hasan was ruled out of the entire one-day series against the West Indies because of injury, an official said Saturday.
The 25-year-old all-rounder’s chronic shinbone injury recurred during the second Test in Khulna last week and he was initially ruled out of the first two of the five-match oneday series.
Bangladesh physician Debashish Chowdhury said after a review of his MRI scan reports on Saturday that he has been asked to rest for four to six weeks.
“We reviewed his MRI and have decided to rest him for the series,” Chowdhury told reporters. “He will need at least four to six week rest to heal the injury, though no surgery is required.”
Despite the absence of the star allrounder, Bangladesh clinched a comfortable seven-wicket win against the tourists in the first one-day here on Friday, to go 1-0 up in the series.
Young uncapped batsman Mominul Haque replaced Shakib in the squad for the first two matches and is now likely to retain his place for the entire series after making his debut on Friday.
The second match of the series will also be played in Khulna on Sunday. The remaining three matches are in Dhaka on Dec 5, 7 and 8. The two teams will also play a Twenty20 international, also in Dhaka on Dec 10. three by Nathan Lyon from the bowling of Mitchell Starc, was on 17.
The highest successful run chase at the WACA is South Africa’s 414 for four in 2008.
Smith fell for 84 late in the day, brilliantly caught by a diving Lyon at deep square leg off Mitchell Starc to end a devastating partnership in just 25.3 overs with Amla.
Defending just 225 after winning the toss and electing to bat on the opening day, the Proteas rallied behind the fast bowling of Steyn to rout the home side for 163 off 53.1 overs.
Steyn had barely been a factor in the series, with just five wickets in the first two Tests, but tore through the Australian top order to finish with four for 40 off 16 overs.
Vernon Philander, who picked up two for 55 including the prized wicket of retiring Australian champion Ricky Ponting, said the Proteas had seized all the momentum in the Test on the back of Steyn’s early salvo.
“He’s the number one bowler in the world for a reason,” Philander said.
“When you see him do that it is special and to be able to share the new ball with him is something special.
“The way he can deliver in big moments is unbelievable.”
Having already claimed the wicket of opener Ed Cowan for a first-ball duck late on the first day, Steyn devastated the home side in the first 30 minutes on Saturday.
Australia resumed at 33 for two and collapsed dramatically.
In his first over of the day, Steyn removed careless opener David Warner, caught behind for 13 when he slashed at a wide delivery, despite the Australian asking for the decision to be reviewed.
Steyn then removed night watchman Lyon three balls later for seven, caught at gully by Faf du Plessis.
Ponting strode to the crease to huge applause in his farewell Test, but lasted just over 15 minutes before being trapped lbw by Philander for four, another Australian decision review failing.
Australian skipper Michael Clarke’s golden run of form came to an end when he became Steyn’s fourth victim, caught behind for just five from a searing delivery.
The home team were 45 for six, having lost four wickets for just 11 runs.
It would have been 45 for seven had Amla’s throw at the stumps from mid-off, with Matthew Wade well out of his crease and having given up the cause, been a direct hit.
Wade made it a costly miss as he top-scored with a counter-attacking 68 that included three sixes and later put a brave face on Australia’s predicament after they conceded 206 runs in the final session.
“We didn’t bowl well and they counter-attacked really well, almost going at a oneday pace,” he said.
“We don’t feel like the series is slipping away, we’ve had a couple of bad sessions in a row, but we are lucky that it is day two and if things go well we’ll be batting tomorrow at some stage and batting on day four, which is probably going to be the best time to bat.
“We are going to be chasing a reasonably high total, but on a really good wicket.”