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Tigers’ WC dream shattered

Admin — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:29:34 +0000

The Proteas proved far too strong for the Tigers who failed firstly to check South Africa’s run making and later to withstand their bowling attack, folding for only 78 and thus ending their Cricket World Cup dream at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday.
South Africa secured its place at the top on the point table and among top eight moving into the next round with five wins. On the other hand, Bangladesh crashed out of the tournament failing to add points from the match, which was their last opportunity.
Tigers folded for 78 runs. Silence descended in the capital in the last ball of the 28th over when Peterson bowled Naeem Islam. Naeem 8 runs off 20 balls.
Earlier, South Africa skipper Graeme Smith had a dream opening when Tamim, their biggest worry, fell for only five runs in the fourth over. Tsotsobe’s third ball got some of Tamim’s bat sending a noise. As the loud appeal failed to convince the umpire, the fielders went for a review and got the decision for them. Tamim played 14 balls.
Imrul Kayes, who became player of the match in Bangladesh’s last two wins against Netherlands and England, also followed Tamim’s path at the hands of the same bowler, Tsotsobe. He mistook to judge the fourth ball of the sixth over and was astonished to see the bails in the air. His 15-ball inning earned him four runs.
Next wicket, Junaid Siddique, fell in the last ball of the next over. Johan Botha delivered a full-length around off hitting him in front of the stumps to trap him in a leg before. Junaid sought for a review only to be confirmed of the on-field umpire’s decision. He scored only 2 off 7 balls.
Tsotsobe hit again in the next over. His tricky delivery on the off-stump again trapped the batsman, Shahriar Nafees this time, getting an inside edge to dislodge the bails along its way. Nafees went back for five runs playing 12 balls, including a boundary.
Joining Mushfiqur, skipper Shakib Al Hasan made a desperate attempt for a partnership to give Bangladesh innings a footing. Both of them played cautiously without going for big hits.
South African skipper Graeme did not let that happen. He took a superb catch on the slip in the first ball of the 16th over to see Mushfiqur off. Peterson gave a flighted delivery around off to lure Mushfiqur for a push. The Bangladesh wicket-keeper-batsman played 21 balls to score three runs.
Bangladesh’s fight virtually fell apart in the 24th over when skipper Shakib Al Hasan fell. Shakib had a thick edge on Peterson’s fourth delivery, which was a slightly quicker one. Wicket-keeper Morne van wyk took it on the rebound.
Shakib scored 30 off 49 balls.
Shafiul, who joined Naeem Islam two balls later, went back two balls later. The flighted delivery on the leg stump took off the bails as Shafiul went for a sweep.
Taking to the crease, Razzak could face two balls before going back to the pavilion. Playing Imran Tahir a sweep in the last ball of 25th over, he sent the ball to Peterson at deep midwicket to go back for a duck.
Earlier, winning the toss, South African captain Graeme Smith elected to bat first.
Bangladesh bowlers succeeded to have some grip on the Proteas batsmen sending back eight of them to the pavilion but were too late to do that, giving the opponents enough time and chance to pile up 284 runs.
The Tigers with the ball proved too ordinary for the Proteas, who have already reserved their place for the quarterfinal by scoring eight points from five matches. Bangladesh must win the game to continue their World Cup campaign.
Pacer Rubel Hossain struck the South African batting line-up lately, picking up three wickets in his eight overs, though he conceded 56 runs, in the best bowling figure for Bangladesh bowlers in the match.
However, Tigers skipper Shakib Al Hasan earned the co-host the long expected breakthrough while Jacques Kallis was flexing his muscle scoring runs on all the directions.
Kallis and Faf du Plessis, who added 82 runs in the fourth partnership, was turning into a major threat for Bangladesh. Though he was slow to score at the beginning of his inning, Kallis turned devastating after reaching his 50. Shakib trapped him to lob a catch back to him in the third ball of the 45th over. Kallis scored 69 off 76 balls, including five boundaries and an over-boundary.
Shakib hit again in the fourth ball of his next over, bowling out this time Morne van Wyk for five runs of as many balls.
du Plessis was turning dangerous for the Tigers, as he scored 52 runs off as many balls. Pacer Rubel had an eye on him and gave him a full toss, forcing him to give a catch to Tamim at the mid-off in the 48th over.
Rubel gave the local crowd an occasion to celebrate in the first ball of the 50th over removing Botha. When Robin Peterson dug out the ball, Botha rushed out to take a single but Peterson sent him back. Collecting the ball, Rubel threw that at his end and Botha went back for 12 runs of six balls.
Wayne Parnell was the last man for the South African to go back in the same over. Parnell tried to punch the good length ball past midwicket but missed it to see it crashing into the stumps. He went back for a duck.
Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Shahriar Nafees, Shakib Al Hasan (Captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Naeem Islam, Abdur Razzak, Shafiul Islam and Rubel Hossain.
South Africa: Graeme Smith (Captain), Hashim Amla, Morne van Wyk, Jacques Kallis, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Johan Botha, Robin Peterson, Wayne Parnell, Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Imran Tahir.

Courtesy of The Daily Star

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Aiming for the quarterfinals

Admin — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:28:15 +0000

Tigers face SA today
Prior to today’s crunch Bangladesh-South Africa match, the question on everybody’s lips was what awaited the millions of cricket crazy fans in the country? Will it be heartbreak or will today usher in an era of hope?
Shakib Al Hasan’s men can write a new chapter for Bangladesh cricket when they face off against an inform South Africa in a make or break battle at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. But for each and every single person their feelings have oscillated between hope and hopelessness as regards the outcome of the match which has turned into a do-or-die clash for Bangladesh after the West Indies crumpled against England on Thursday.
If someone take the result of the last two matches and the spirited display of the Tigers and of course the advantage of the home conditions, he or she will definitely be looking at something positive. And if they do manage to come out on top it will be a pinnacle in achievement for the Tigers.
But the pressure would be absolutely on the Tigers because only a win in the day match will take them to the quarterfinals from Group B, the group of death in the ICC Cricket World Cup, and anything else will mean that the World Cup will be over for the Bangladesh team and as well as millions of fans.
On the contrary there is virtually no pressure on the South Africa team and they were found in a relaxed mood while practicing at Mirpur yesterday. They have already confirmed their quarterfinals berth and a win will only keep their supremacy intact.
South Africa is one of the favourites in the tournament, especially their bowling attack has lot of variety, which can exploit any conditions but still Shakib’s men can say that no team is unbeatable and anything can happen in cricket: a fact they have proved time and again. The on paper favourite does not always win the matches which Bangladesh team has also proved in the tournament by beating the mighty England at Chittagong.
It’s not only that someone plays with emotion versus reality but the fact is also that Bangladesh has a sweet memory of a 67-run victory over the same opponents four years back in the second round of the 2007 World Cup in Guyana..
Thus Shakib’s men not only can take the inspiration from their last two back-to-back victories against England and Netherlands but they can also take it from their great victory in the last World Cup.
Like the 2007 game, Bangladesh have pinned their hopes on the slow bowlers this time also and what will be required is an innings like Mohammad Ashraful’s, who hit 87 in Guyana in 2007. He will not feature today even as Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan said that everybody has to play their part to win.
“It’s not as if only Tamim and myself can fire, rather everybody must contribute if we want to win the match,” said Shakib.
Pointing out that the spinners squeezed them in 2007, South African skipper Graeme Smith said that they were more careful this time. “We’ve had a good look at Bangladesh. They’ve averaged 40-42 overs of spin in a game so we expect to face a lot of spin tomorrow. They also have seven left-handers in their team so we’d also look at that and see how we can benefit,” said Smith.
By winning three games in the showcase event, Bangladesh almost achieved their pre-tournament target and now it’s time for them to take their game into new height.

Courtesy of The Daily Star

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Smith knows the occasion

Admin — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:24:30 +0000

Graeme Smith believes the South Africa team have become accustomed to sub-continental teams and conditions as they face the Tigers at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.
The Proteas arrived in town the day after their win over Ireland last Tuesday but chose to train only yesterday, on the eve of their final group game in the World Cup.
But it was clear that they had come to this leg of the tournament having done their homework on the opponents who were denied an easier entry into the last eight by the loss of West Indies at the hands of England on Thursday night.
“We’ve had a good look at Bangladesh. They’ve averaged 40-42 overs of spin in a game so we expect to face a lot of spin tomorrow (Saturday). They also have seven left-handers in their team so we’d also look at that and see how we can benefit,” said Smith during the official press conference.
Smith, who began his time as captain of South Africa in this country eight years ago, was well aware of the occasion it is promising to be for the hosts, a place in the quarterfinal beckoning through a win over the visitors.
“Obviously it’s a big game for Bangladesh; they need to win the game. So we expect them to be very motivated and also a very passionate crowd tomorrow (Saturday).
“But also they are a team that will be under pressure. If we can get our basics right, play well for long periods and force them to do things that they don’t want to do. That’ll be the positive for us and hopefully we can do that,” he said.
Bangladesh’s only win over South Africa has been during the last World Cup’s Super Eights phase when the Proteas went down by 67 runs in Guyana. But Smith made it quite clear that a lot of water has passed under that bridge.
“We don’t come into this game with any added emotion. There’s no talk of revenge. Four years is a long time and we’ve played against Bangladesh a fair bit.
“Tomorrow’s going to be another one-off occasion for us. It is an important game for Bangladesh, we are just excited to be a part of that and want to play well,” said the left-handed opener, who also informed that he has the full complement of 15 players to pick the eleven from.
If Bangladesh beat South Africa, they will move to eight points and West Indies will also finish on eight if they beat India. With three teams level on points and number of wins, the net run rate will decide the standings. West Indies and South Africa will take the top two spots and Bangladesh the third spot. India will edge out England for the fourth position barring a huge defeat against West Indies.
In that case, it would be expected of the Englishmen to support South Africa, a state of affairs that goes right up Smith’s alley. “I think English fans are getting used to supporting South Africans these days,” he said with roars of laughter all around.
“As a team you try not to get too caught up in that stuff. It is hard to contemplate the amount of people are watching and supporting.”

Courtesy of The Daily Star

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