Photo: BCB
Bangladesh batter Mushfiqur Rahim struck his 44th ODI fifty to help his side to 246 for nine against Ireland in the first ODI of the three-match series at Chelmsford in England on Tuesday.
Having lost half their side for 122 in the 27th over, Bangladesh managed to motor on for a competitive total on the back of Mushfiqur’s 70-ball 61 that featured six fours. The right-handed batter batted till the 45th over before being caught out at deep-point off the bowling of Josh Little.
After being put into bat first, Bangladesh were in a spot of bother, losing both openers inside four overs.
Liton Das was the first to go, in the first over bowled by Josh Little for a first-ball duck. He was given LBW as the yorker hit his toe, with the batter not taking a review.
Skipper Tamim Iqbal, who scored 14 off 19, slashed at a wide delivery from Mark Adair and the Ultraedge revealed the batter had a slight nick on the delivery.
All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan failed to capitalise on his solid start as he departed in the 12th over after a 21-ball 20 off the bowling of seamer Graham Hume to leave the Tigers at 51 for the loss of three.
Shakib, who hit four boundaries, looked to be aggressive from the onset but that eventually led to his demise when stepped forward and tried to heave a good-length delivery across the line. The ball slightly nipped in off the surface and the left-handed batter missed it completely only to see the ball hit timber.
Najmul Hossain Shanto along with Tawhid Hridoy looked comfortable while stitching a 50-run stand before the former, who scored 66-ball 44, was caught out at deep square-leg while trying to heave a length delivery bowled by Curtis Campher in the 22nd over when the score was 102.
Five overs later, Hridoy was undone by an out-swinging full-length delivery off Graham Hume. The right-handed batter edged one that shaped away to the wicket-keeper and had to walk back to the pavilion after scoring 31-ball 27.
Mushfiqur, however, motored on with his proactive approach and put together a 65-run stand with the last recognized batter, Mehedi Hasan Miraz. But Miraz after looking good for his 34-ball 27 skied one off left-arm spinner George Dockrell while trying to sweep, exposing the tail with 12.3 overs still remaining.
Mushfiqur had to go back soon after reaching his fifty, and Taijul Islam’s resistance of 14 runs off 36 balls came to an shortly after.
Shoriful Islam hit the only maximum of the innings as he managed to score a 115-ball 16.
Left-arm pacer Josh Little picked up three wickets, while Mark Adair and Graham Hume scalped two wickets each.
