No Let-Up In Bangladesh's Misery

The Bangla New Year did little to revive Bangladesh's sagging cricketing fortunes as they wentdown to South Africa by 83 runs in the TVS Cup at the Bangabandhu Stadium today.

Chasing a stiff target of 295 for victory, Bangladesh were shot out for 211 in 49.3 overs to crash to extend theirworld record sequence of consecutive defeats to 34 matches.

Only opener Mohammad Ashraful and Khaled Mahmud were able to notch up decent scores against a disciplined South Africanattack led by former captain Shaun Pollock who finished with figures of four for 36.

Ashraful scored 52 runs while Mahmud played an important 40-run knock towards the end which enabled Bangladesh to crossthe 200-run mark.

Earlier, the South African batsmen made merry as Herschelle Gibbs, Boeta Dippenaar and Neil McKenzie scoredattractive half-centuries to help the team to an imposing 294 for three.

Dippenaar and McKenzie remained unbeaten on 66 and 55 respectively in an unbroken 105-run partnership for thefourth wicket while Gibbs made 62 runs after South African captain Graeme Smith won the toss and elected to bat.

Though the home team put up a vastly improved performance, they never seemed to be in the hunt as pressurekept mounting on them after the fall of every wicket. With two defeats in a row in this tournament, Bangladesh are as good asout of contention for a berth in the final.

The home team got off to one of their best starts in recent times as both the South African new ball operators Makhaya Ntini and Charl Willoughby strayed in line and length in the early stages.

The opening pair of Ashraful and Javed Omar fetched 24 runs before Ntini provided the breakthrough bygetting rid of Omar who was caught fishing outside the off-stump.

Ashraful was in fine touch and played some audacious shots against the speedsters while the new batsman HabibulBashar settled into a supporting role as the duo went about building the innings.

Smith introduced the experienced Pollock into the attack in the tenth over and he immediately produced resultsby making it difficult for the batsmen to score runs.

The second wicket partnership yielded 58 runs before the young Allan Dawson sent Bashar back to thepavilion. Bashar (18) attempted a square cut but missed the line completely to see his off-stump dislodged.

Sanwar Hussain, who joined the action after Bashar's dismissal, departed soon after as Bangladesh slumped from acomfortable 82 for one to 83 for three by the 18th over.

It soon became 112 for four when Paul Adams ended Ashraful's vigil at the crease. The opener tried a cut shotbut only succeeded in edging the ball to wicket keeper Mark Boucher. His determined knock of 52 came off 94 balls andincluded seven boundaries. 

With the South African bowling a tight length in the later stages, the hosts' focus turned to playing out the full quota of 50 overs as the run rate mounted to more than ten runs an over.

Mahmud and Mohammad Rafique brought some entertainment in a lost cause with some big shots in their eighth wicketpartnership that fetched 30 runs for Bangladesh. Rafique was dismissed in the 47th over after making 15 runs from just 11balls with the help of a four and a six.

Mahmud fell two overs later, caught by McKenzie off Ntini. His 40 came off 41 balls and included six boundaries. Dawson finished with three wickets for 26 runs whileNtini grabbed two wickets.

Earlier, the South African batsmen took the opportunity to get themselves into form against an attack which lackedbite to rattle up mammoth total with most of their top order batsmen getting runs.

Apart from Dippenaar, Gibbs and McKenzie, Smith (45) and Jacques Rudoph (44) also helped themselves to good scores. Smith and Gibbs put on 112 runs for the first wicketwhile Dippenaar and McKenzie gave the finishing touches.

Dippenaar and McKenzie came together at 189 for three in the 32nd over and remained unseparated till the end. They keptthe scoreboard moving without taking too many risks, punishing the loose balls to the boundary.

Dippenaar opened up in the slog overs and spanked Tapash Baishya over the long on boundary for a six and flickedanother delivery in the same over to the fine leg fence to notch up his half century in style.

McKenzie also grew in confidence as the innings wore on and executed some sweetly timed shots to complete his halfcentury towards the fag end of the innings.

PTI