Bangladesh stay in contention

Kayes shines as hosts register resounding win.

CHITTAGONG:

Bangladesh packed their side with left-handers to whip lethargic Netherlands by six wickets and stay in contention for the World Cup quarter-finals.

The Dutch were shot out for 160 in 46.2 overs after electing to take first strike on the slow wicket, a target Bangladesh surpassed in the 42nd over with opener Imrul Kayes making an unbeaten 73. The hosts’ three left-arm spinners shared five of the six wickets to fall to bowlers with Abdur Razzak leading the way with three for 29. Captain Shakibal Hasan and Suhrawadi Shuvo claimed one wicket apiece.

Kayes put on 92 for the second-wicket with Junaid Siddique (35) after opening partner Tamim Iqbal was bowled by Mudassar Bukhari without scoring.

Shahriar Nafees, one of the five left-handers at the top of the batting order, made 37 in a third-wicket stand of 59 with Kayes, who followed his 60 against England with another half-century and was named man of the match for the second consecutive match. Bangladesh joined the West Indies and South Africa on six points, one behind Group B leaders India.

Bangladesh captain hopeful

Shakib felt that the qualification for the quarter-finals was still in his team’s hands. If the West Indies beat England, Bangladesh will qualify regardless of the outcome of their match against South Africa.

“It was a nervous win because we had to win to stay in the contest,” said Shakib. “I thought the boys showed their charcater and bowled good and kept the pressure on.”

Netherlands captain Peter Borren admitted his team, with five defeats in five games, had let themselves down.

“In the end we played some pretty bad cricket with four run-outs,” said Borren. “I think the wicket was a challenge to bat on but 160 was not enough and we let ourselves down.”

Dismal batting display

Earlier, Ryan ten Doeschate top-scored for the Netherlands with an unbeaten 53, but none of the other batsmen made an impression, with six failing to reach double figures and four running themselves out.

Openers Wesley Barrisi and Eric Szwaraczynski plodded to 28 runs in nine overs, following a tidy opening spell by fast-bowler Shafiul Islam, who conceded just seven runs in his first six overs. Tom Cooper (29) and Szwaraczynski carried the score to 66 for two when both batsmen were run out in the space of 13 runs to set the Dutch back again. Shuvo had Alexei Kervezee stumped on 18, before Razzak dismissed Tom de Grooth and Atse Buurman in three deliveries to reduce the Netherlands to 127 for seven. Borren and Adeel Raja also ran themselves out, leaving ten Doeschate stranded at the other end.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2011.