Tigers hit new low

August 31, 2008

Bangladesh’s hopes of upsetting Australia on a drop-in pitch were dealt a heavy blow as they crashed to their lowest ever total of 74 runs to suffer a humiliating 180-run defeat in the first one-day match at the TIO Stadium in Darwin on Saturday.
In the face of a four-pronged pace attack Bangladesh batsmen turned things into a mess and lost wickets at a regular interval to be dismissed in 27.4 overs, replying to Australia’s 254-8 in 50 overs.
Bangladesh’s previous lowest total in an one-day international was 76 which they scored twice – first against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2002 and then against India in Dhaka in 2003.
The Australian bowlers varied their pace cleverly and were helped by the wicket that often baffled the batsmen with unpredictable bounce. The poor short selections also cost the visitors dearly.
Leg-spinner Cameron White made the good use of the situation created by the pacers to take 3-5 as opener Tamim Iqbal made highest 21 runs for Bangladesh. Only two other Bangladeshi batsmen – Roqibul Hassan (14) and Mohammad Ashraful (12) – reached the double figure.
Earlier, Australia set a target for Bangladesh as they wanted to despite the bowlers showing a marked improvement with the helpful pitch. After skipper Ashraful won the toss and opted to bowl.
But they lacked penetrating power which helped the Australians to get the momentum in their way. Shahadat Hossain’s erratic first two overs, that cost Bangladesh 24 runs, also helped the Australians.
Nazmul Hossain gave Bangladesh the first breakthrough after a 56-run
opening stand when James Hopes (22) mistimed a pull shot to sky it at short mid-wicket where Mehrab Hossain Jr took simple catch.
Hopes was soon followed by stand-in skipper Michael Clarke, who edged Sakib al Hasan to the wicketkeeper
for 13.
But Marsh, playing his first one-day match on home soil, superbly controlled his aggression to take Australia to the comfort zone.
Marsh added 85 run for the third wicket with David Hussy before Abdur Razzak got rid of him for 76 runs off 105 boundaries, an innings that included only four boundaries.
Bangladesh briefly took the driving seat when Mashrafee, who dropped David Hussy on 13, took a smart catch at extra cover to give Sakib his second wicket.
It looked like they
would be able to restrict the Australians, who came into the game with just 11 available players following the dramatic suspension of Andrew Symonds, to just a little over 200 runs.
But the hosts added 49 runs in the last five overs largely for Mike Hussy, who scored 85 off 87 balls before Shahadat dismissed him in the last ball of the innings.
It was Shahadat’s third wicket in the space of four balls that made his otherwise expensive bowling somewhat impressive with 3-42.

Tigers hit new low

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