England labour to defeat gritty Bangladesh
By N.Ananthanarayanan
Guyana Chronicle
April 12, 2007
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (Reuters) - England overcame another nervy batting display to defeat Bangladesh by four wickets in their World Cup Super Eight match, yesterday, to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
England pacemen led by man-of-the-match Sajid Mahmood skittled out Bangladesh for 143 in the 38th over on a bouncy Kensington Oval pitch.
However, Bangladesh bowlers piled on the pressure as the new pitch slowed down before England reached 147 for six in the 45th over.
It was England's first win over a Test-playing nation at this World Cup but will have convinced few that they can still make a serious bid for their first title.
England were reeling at 110 for six as Bangladesh, who upset South Africa in their previous game, fought superbly until the experienced seventh-wicket pair Paul Collingwood and Paul Nixon guided them to victory.
SECOND WIN
England now have four points after their second win in four games with matches left against South Africa and hosts West Indies. Bangladesh have two points from four games.
Bangladesh left-arm seamer Syed Rasel and left-arm spinners Abdur Razzak and Mohammad Rafique grabbed two wickets each to rattle England.
Rasel had makeshift opener Ian Bell (0) caught at point and trapped Andrew Strauss leg-before for 23.
Left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak then removed skipper Michael Vaughan for a chancy 30 before taking the prized scalp of Kevin Pietersen for 10 runs.
Vaughan, dropped on five by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim after nicking Rasel, top-edged a sweep to Habibul Bashar at short fine leg.
Pietersen, who hit a hundred in the seven-wicket defeat against Australia, stepped out and failed to check his shot as Razzak pitched it short to offer a tame catch to mid-wicket.
Bangladesh were reeling at 65 for six in the morning before Saqibul Hasan top-scored with a defiant 57 not out.
Mahmood took three for 27 after doing the damage with fellow new-ball bowler James Anderson (2-30) and Andrew Flintoff.
Left-arm spinner Monty Panesar (3-25) then ran through the lower order batsmen.
Bangladesh, who suffered heavy defeats against champions Australia and New Zealand before their shock win over South Africa in the Super Eight, showed poor technique against the short ball.
Five of the top six batsmen failed to reach double figures after Mahmood removed openers Tamim Iqbal (8) and Shahriar Nafees (9).
In-between, Vaughan dropped Nafees at mid-on off Mahmood but recovered quickly to run-out Habibul Bashar (4) after the struggling Bangladesh skipper stood watching instead of completing the single.
Left-hander Saqibul added 47 runs for the seventh wicket with Mashrafe Mortaza (13) as the pitch eased, hitting six fours and a six in his 95-ball knock.
The seven-week tournament ends with the final on April 28.
Bangladesh innings
Tamim Iqbal c Collingwood b Mahmood 8
S. Nafees c Strauss b Mahmood 9
H. Bashar run-out 4
M. Rahim b Flintoff 7
S. Hasan not out 57
M. Ashraful c Nixon b Anderson 1
A. Ahmed c Nixon b Anderson 10
M. Mortaza b Panesar 13
M. Rafique c Strauss b Panesar 0
A. Razzak c Collingwood b Panesar 15 S. Rasel c Flintoff b Mahmood 4
Extras: (lb-3, w-10, nb-2) 15
Total: (all out, 37.2 overs) 143
Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-23, 3-26, 4-40, 5-47, 6-65, 7-112, 8-113, 9-137.
Bowling: Anderson 8-0-30-2 (w-4), Mahmood 8.2-0-27-3 (w-2), Flintoff 8-0-38-1 (nb-2, w-4), Panesar 7-2-25-3, Collingwood 4-0-14-0, Bopara 2-0-6-0
England innings
I. Bell c A. Ahmed b Syed Rasel 0
M. Vaughan c H. Bashar b A. Razzak 30
A. Strauss lbw b S. Rasel 23
K. Pietersen c sub. b A. Razzak 10
P. Collingwood not out 23
A. Flintoff b M. Rafique 23
R. Bopara b M. Rafique 0
P. Nixon not out 20
Extras: (b-4, lb-8, w-6) 18
Total: (6 wickets, 44.5 overs) 147
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-48, 3-70, 4-79, 5-110, 6-110.
Bowling: Mashrafe Mortaza 8.5-3-28-0, Syed Rasel 10-3-25-2, Abdur Razzak 10-1-30-2, Mohammad Rafique 10-3-33-2, Saqibul Hasan 6-0-19-0.
Result: England won by four wickets.
Man-of-the-match: Sajid Mahmood (England)