Bangladesh VS Zimbabwe

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A valiant batting effort by Bangladesh was not enough to prevent Zimbabwe completing a clean sweep in their one-day series.

Chasing a 309 to win the final game of the three-match series in Bulawayo, Bangladesh recorded their highest one-day score but still fell 36 runs short.

Habibul Bashar top-scored for the visitors with 74 and he and opener Javed Omar (69) shared in an 84-run stand for the third wicket.

But when Bashar fell with the score on 205 it prompted a collapse and the international newcomers lost three wickets in the space of eight runs to effectively end their run chase.

Whittall was bowled for 26

Some late hitting by captain Naimur Rahman, who bludgeoned 25 off 17 balls and Mushfiqur Rahman took them past their previous best of 258.

Earlier Grant Flower had smashed an unbeaten 142 to help Zimbabwe recover from an early collapse.

Flower's 128-ball innings featured 10 boundaries and two sixes as he equalled the Zimbabwe record for a one-day innings.

Quickfire innings

He matched Dave Houghton's innings against New Zealand at Hyderabad during the 1987 World Cup.

Grant Flower shared in a huge partnership with his brother Andy to put on 148.

Andy went for 81 in an innings which lasted just 91 balls.

Stuart Carlisle joined Grant to continue the assault on the hapless Bangladeshi attack.

Carlisle hammered 42 not out off just 34 balls to take the home side past 300 and put them in a position to complete a clean sweep of the one-day series.

Aggressive batting

Bangladesh had begun the match in encouraging fashion when Manjural Islam removed Alistair Campbell with the second ball of the match.

Islam also claimed Dion Ebrahim and Mushfiqur Rahman dismissed Guy Whittall and the hosts were struggling at 39 for three.

But the Flowers staged a recovery and then launched an all-out attack on the bowlers.

Mohammad Sharif came in for severe punishment with his 10 overs costing 77 runs and not featuring a wicket.


SOURCE : BBC