Story Bangladesh: From Minnows to Tigers! (End of England tour)
- Thread starter qpeedore
- Start date
qpeedore
SOTM Winner - July 2014
Surendar, what exactly do you mean? I'm always open to suggestions.
Aussie Team
Panel of Selectors
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- Dec 22, 2009
- Online Cricket Games Owned
The presentation! use the below link to get Resource/Tips. 
http://www.planetcricket.org/forums...et-non-cricket-story-resource-tips-61974.html
http://www.planetcricket.org/forums...et-non-cricket-story-resource-tips-61974.html
Aislabie
Test Cricket is Best Cricket
Amazing story. I've been reading some of it (have to stop half way through pg. 2) but it looks fantastic
qpeedore
SOTM Winner - July 2014
I won't be bringing the second ODI until tomorrow or Tuesday. Sorry about that, but something came up that I need to attend to.
qpeedore
SOTM Winner - July 2014
From the World T20 I'll post full scorecards. I think that would make the story better. Graphical stuff would still be a long way away, though.
Time for the second ODI. The team would be on a high after winning the first match, and they would want to seal the series with a victory in this match. Let?s go to the action.
Pitch report and weather forecast ? 2nd ODI
Today?s pitch is reminiscent of the last one. The track is great for batting but there may just be enough for the spinners later on in the game. The skies are clear and the sun is out in all its glory. It?s really up to the captain winning the toss to decide what he wants to do, because there is nothing out there that swings the decision either way. A good toss to lose.
Squads
Sri Lanka
Kumar Sangakarra (CAPT ? Bat)
Upul Tharanga (Bat)
Angelo Matthews (All)
Dinesh Chandimal (WKB)
Mahela Jayawardene (Bat)
Lahiru Thirimanne (Bat)
Thilan Samaraweera (All)
Saliya Saman (Bowl)
Chatura Athukorala (Bowl)
Mangala Kumara (Bowl)
Ajantha Mendis (Bowl)
Sangakarra returns and Thirimanne drops down the order, at least on the card given at the start of the day. The return of the experienced wicketkeeper-batsman gives vital experience at the top.
Watch out for
Kumar Sangakarra ? He is going to be hungry for some runs and he has to perform sometime. Better now than never.
Ajantha Mendis ? The pitch will provide little turn if any, but Mendis has never been a big mover of the ball in any case.
Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal (Bat)
Shahriar Nafees (Bat)
Mohammed Mahmadullah (All)
Shuvagoto Hom (Bat)
Shakib Al Hasan (CAPT ? All)
Naeem Islam (All)
I Kamal (Bat)
Mushfiqur Rahim (WK)
Tareq Aziz (Bowl)
Dolar Mahmud (Bowl)
Mohammed Shahzada (Bowl)
Watch out for
Tamim Iqbal ? He has runs to his name in the series so far and his man of the match performance last time still looked like it was below his full ability.
Shakib Al Hasan ? His economical bowling frequently takes wickets and creates chances for the other bowlers as well. Expect more of the same.
The captains were there for the toss, and Sangakarra tossed as Shakib called tails again. He won for the second time in a row and again chose to bowl. He says that the winning team is unchanged and that bowling first proved to be the right thing the last time so they were not going to change anything.
Sangakarra says that they came very close in the first ODI but were unable to defend their low total. He says that his wrist injury prevents him from standing behind the stumps as the keeper, but he would be able to open the innings with the bat. He wants the team to set a stronger total this time around, anywhere upward of 250 to 260 or so.
Play ? 2nd ODI
Mahmud and Aziz started with impeccable control of line and length. It took Sri Lanka until the fourth over to get themselves going. Sangakarra threw his bat at one and it went flying through the covers and into the boundary for four. That got them in an aggressive mood and they plundered the bowling as much as they could, scoring at a healthy rate for the first Powerplay. After 10 overs they were 52 for no wicket.
Bangladesh delayed taking their bowling Powerplay. They pushed the field back and seemed content to restrict the batsmen to singles. There was always the impression that Sri Lanka were itching to get things going again, and Tharanga was bowled by Shahzada for 26, beaten for pace.
That brought the dangerous Angelo Matthews to the middle, however. But Bangladesh stuck with their field set defensively and Matthews was more than happy to take the singles that were on offer. It was when Mahmadullah came into bowl that he started unleashing, taking the Bangladeshi for a series of fours that brought him closer to another 50.
It took a good piece of fielding to remove him. He ran one down past the short third man. The man at deep backward point had to run across to intercept the ball. He got there faster than expected, though, and his throw was deadly accurate into Rahim?s gloves. Rahim whipped the bails off and Matthews was out attempting a second run.
At the other end, Sangakarra had made his way into the 40s, but when Islam came on to bowl he got the Sri Lankan immediately. Sangakarra was LBW attempting a sweep shot for 42. The team score was 125 for 3 in the 28th over.
With two new batsmen at the crease, Bangladesh took their bowling Powerplay at the start of the next over. It proved to be a costly decision as Chandimal and Jayawardene took advantage of the restrictions to plunder as many boundaries as they could. By the end of the bowling Powerplay, the batsmen were so well set that they decided to take the batting Powerplay right afterward.
Islam got his second wicket two overs into that Powerplay, getting Chandimal to sky one to long on for 44 off of 42 balls. Shahzada then had Thirimanne caught at deep third man by Aziz in the next over for only 2. Bangladesh were in the middle of a good spell as Sri Lanka seemed to throw their bats at everything without really thinking about the state of the match. That was proven once again in the next over when Islam had Samaraweera caught in the deep for a 2-ball duck.
Shahzada took yet another wicket in his next over, that of Saman. Sri Lanka were collapsing after making such a great start to their innings. By the time Mahmud returned at the death, 7 wickets were down and he promptly went about taking the 8th with an accurate yorker to bowl Athukorala.
Amidst all of the carnage, Jayawardene was still around at the next end and he had silently made his way to 48. He brought up his fifty with a cut shot that went to the backward point boundary for four. Sri Lanka still had hope with Jayawardene at the crease and while Kumara was no batsman, he tried as hard as he could to turn the strike over to the more competent batsman. He fell LBW to Mahmud for 7 before Mendis came in and hung around until the final over before Mahmud got him to edge two past the vacant slip area and to the boundary for four. The third ball had no such problems. The slip was put into place and Mendis played the same shot as before, the edge going into the fielder?s hands this time. Sri Lanka had reached a score they would be comfortable defending though.
End of Sri Lanka innings ? 250/10 (49.4), Jayawardene 60*(71), Mahmud 3-34(8.4)
Bangladesh need 251 at 5.0 per over
Matthews is interviewed during the innings break. He says that the team batted much better today and as a result they got a good score that they should be able to defend. The pitch is wonderful for batting though, and the fielders all needed to be on their toes. He says that being run out for 48 is something that hurts a bit, but his contribution was important to the team and he hoped to do something with the ball as well.
The chase comes up tomorrow. Win or lose?
Time for the second ODI. The team would be on a high after winning the first match, and they would want to seal the series with a victory in this match. Let?s go to the action.
Pitch report and weather forecast ? 2nd ODI
Today?s pitch is reminiscent of the last one. The track is great for batting but there may just be enough for the spinners later on in the game. The skies are clear and the sun is out in all its glory. It?s really up to the captain winning the toss to decide what he wants to do, because there is nothing out there that swings the decision either way. A good toss to lose.
Squads
Sri Lanka
Kumar Sangakarra (CAPT ? Bat)
Upul Tharanga (Bat)
Angelo Matthews (All)
Dinesh Chandimal (WKB)
Mahela Jayawardene (Bat)
Lahiru Thirimanne (Bat)
Thilan Samaraweera (All)
Saliya Saman (Bowl)
Chatura Athukorala (Bowl)
Mangala Kumara (Bowl)
Ajantha Mendis (Bowl)
Sangakarra returns and Thirimanne drops down the order, at least on the card given at the start of the day. The return of the experienced wicketkeeper-batsman gives vital experience at the top.
Watch out for
Kumar Sangakarra ? He is going to be hungry for some runs and he has to perform sometime. Better now than never.
Ajantha Mendis ? The pitch will provide little turn if any, but Mendis has never been a big mover of the ball in any case.
Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal (Bat)
Shahriar Nafees (Bat)
Mohammed Mahmadullah (All)
Shuvagoto Hom (Bat)
Shakib Al Hasan (CAPT ? All)
Naeem Islam (All)
I Kamal (Bat)
Mushfiqur Rahim (WK)
Tareq Aziz (Bowl)
Dolar Mahmud (Bowl)
Mohammed Shahzada (Bowl)
Watch out for
Tamim Iqbal ? He has runs to his name in the series so far and his man of the match performance last time still looked like it was below his full ability.
Shakib Al Hasan ? His economical bowling frequently takes wickets and creates chances for the other bowlers as well. Expect more of the same.
The captains were there for the toss, and Sangakarra tossed as Shakib called tails again. He won for the second time in a row and again chose to bowl. He says that the winning team is unchanged and that bowling first proved to be the right thing the last time so they were not going to change anything.
Sangakarra says that they came very close in the first ODI but were unable to defend their low total. He says that his wrist injury prevents him from standing behind the stumps as the keeper, but he would be able to open the innings with the bat. He wants the team to set a stronger total this time around, anywhere upward of 250 to 260 or so.
Play ? 2nd ODI
Mahmud and Aziz started with impeccable control of line and length. It took Sri Lanka until the fourth over to get themselves going. Sangakarra threw his bat at one and it went flying through the covers and into the boundary for four. That got them in an aggressive mood and they plundered the bowling as much as they could, scoring at a healthy rate for the first Powerplay. After 10 overs they were 52 for no wicket.
Bangladesh delayed taking their bowling Powerplay. They pushed the field back and seemed content to restrict the batsmen to singles. There was always the impression that Sri Lanka were itching to get things going again, and Tharanga was bowled by Shahzada for 26, beaten for pace.
That brought the dangerous Angelo Matthews to the middle, however. But Bangladesh stuck with their field set defensively and Matthews was more than happy to take the singles that were on offer. It was when Mahmadullah came into bowl that he started unleashing, taking the Bangladeshi for a series of fours that brought him closer to another 50.
It took a good piece of fielding to remove him. He ran one down past the short third man. The man at deep backward point had to run across to intercept the ball. He got there faster than expected, though, and his throw was deadly accurate into Rahim?s gloves. Rahim whipped the bails off and Matthews was out attempting a second run.
At the other end, Sangakarra had made his way into the 40s, but when Islam came on to bowl he got the Sri Lankan immediately. Sangakarra was LBW attempting a sweep shot for 42. The team score was 125 for 3 in the 28th over.
With two new batsmen at the crease, Bangladesh took their bowling Powerplay at the start of the next over. It proved to be a costly decision as Chandimal and Jayawardene took advantage of the restrictions to plunder as many boundaries as they could. By the end of the bowling Powerplay, the batsmen were so well set that they decided to take the batting Powerplay right afterward.
Islam got his second wicket two overs into that Powerplay, getting Chandimal to sky one to long on for 44 off of 42 balls. Shahzada then had Thirimanne caught at deep third man by Aziz in the next over for only 2. Bangladesh were in the middle of a good spell as Sri Lanka seemed to throw their bats at everything without really thinking about the state of the match. That was proven once again in the next over when Islam had Samaraweera caught in the deep for a 2-ball duck.
Shahzada took yet another wicket in his next over, that of Saman. Sri Lanka were collapsing after making such a great start to their innings. By the time Mahmud returned at the death, 7 wickets were down and he promptly went about taking the 8th with an accurate yorker to bowl Athukorala.
Amidst all of the carnage, Jayawardene was still around at the next end and he had silently made his way to 48. He brought up his fifty with a cut shot that went to the backward point boundary for four. Sri Lanka still had hope with Jayawardene at the crease and while Kumara was no batsman, he tried as hard as he could to turn the strike over to the more competent batsman. He fell LBW to Mahmud for 7 before Mendis came in and hung around until the final over before Mahmud got him to edge two past the vacant slip area and to the boundary for four. The third ball had no such problems. The slip was put into place and Mendis played the same shot as before, the edge going into the fielder?s hands this time. Sri Lanka had reached a score they would be comfortable defending though.
End of Sri Lanka innings ? 250/10 (49.4), Jayawardene 60*(71), Mahmud 3-34(8.4)
Bangladesh need 251 at 5.0 per over
Matthews is interviewed during the innings break. He says that the team batted much better today and as a result they got a good score that they should be able to defend. The pitch is wonderful for batting though, and the fielders all needed to be on their toes. He says that being run out for 48 is something that hurts a bit, but his contribution was important to the team and he hoped to do something with the ball as well.
The chase comes up tomorrow. Win or lose?
qpeedore
SOTM Winner - July 2014
Yes, I am posting scorecards from the World T20 which happens after this ODI series in-game.
Onto the chase...
Bangladesh needed a good start if they were to chase the target successfully. The openers took advantage of a rare display of wayward bowling from Saman to take 9 runs off of the first over and the chase was already underway positively.
They continued to play their shots but also run the singles and twos when they could and by the end of the first Powerplay, there was nothing at all to choose between the two teams as Bangladesh had reached 52 without loss. Sri Lanka took their bowling Powerplay immediately, however, perhaps wanting the batsmen to take the chance of hitting over the field and to the boundary.
It almost worked for them, too. The first ball of the 11th over, Nafees tried to turn one through midwicket but the man standing there fumbled the catch and it fell to the ground, Saman was not pleased and he let out a grunt of frustration. At the other end, Kumara had more success when he had Tamim LBW for 23 with one that just turned a fraction.
Mahmadullah came out and hit his second ball through the covers for four, but the Sri Lankans kept the field in close after the Powerplay ended and the batsmen struggled to score. It was in the 18th over that Mahmadullah broke the shackles with two wonderful shots that both went for four. The next over, Nafees joined in on the action with a boundary square on the offside before he got a single to bring Mahmadullah on strike. Mahmadullah promptly square drove the next ball for another four and Bangladesh found themselves on par with the asking rate once again.
Nafees got to his fifty with a push to long on in the 22nd over. It came up off of 67 balls with 6 fours. He fell in the next over, however, LBW to Mendis for 54. Hom walked to the crease with some pressure on him. He had scored 20-odd in the first match but his strike rate was not at the level that some would have wanted it to be. He went about rectifying that problem by crashing his first ball for four before taking a couple of runs off of his second ball.
With his 10th ball he cut hard at a ball that was short and wide. The ball went straight to short third man, who dropped the catch. Mendis was disappointed. Sangakarra was not impressed either. Hom then tried to settle himself down by playing a more defensive game, hanging around and playing only the balls that he wanted to. With the asking rate just under 5 an over, he could afford to do that.
He was out in the 29th over, however, flashing at another wide ball that short third man held onto this time. At the other end, Mahmadullah was playing a silent but not at all ineffective innings. Without anybody really noticing, he had worked his way to 49 off of 52 balls. When he sent his 53rd ball to the point boundary off of a free hit, a superb fifty was brought up. Mahmadullah raised his bat to the dressing room and the fans before putting his head down once more.
Bangladesh took their batting Powerplay at the start of the 32nd over. Shakib was new to the crease but he could be dangerous if he got going. Mahmadullah had been out there for over an hour by that time and he had runs behind his name already.
The bowling was good, however, and the batsmen had to play intelligently. They got very few balls to connect with and instead they settled on piercing the field and taking the singles and twos that were there. Shakib went LBW to Athukorala with 2 overs to go in the Powerplay but he and Mahmadullah had by that time shared a useful partnership of 40 in good time.
If Bangladesh were unable to get the ball away, they still made sure that they did not let the required rate get out of hand. They put the fielders under pressure and ran sharp runs. Boundaries were few and far between but with the singles, nothing seemed out of Bangladesh?s hands.
Mahmadullah provided a fine example of that in the 43rd over when he took the first 5 balls for 18 runs. He was caught down the leg side by short fine leg off of the 6th ball, however. He shook his head as he walked back, disappointed that he did not carry on to make his century. He went for 93 off of only 84 balls. Bangladesh were 230 for 5 at that point and 21 runs were needed off of 7 overs.
Bangladesh lost another wicket two overs later, however. Mendis got Islam LBW to a straight ball for 15 with the score unchanged. Aziz walked out and relieved the pressure by hitting his first ball way over the ropes for a big six. He was bowled by Mendis a few balls later, going for 10.
Dolar Mahmud and Mushfiqur Rahim, the two men who had brought the game home last time, were in the middle again. They had a mid-pitch conference before Mahmud took strike. He survived a massive shout for a catch behind but the umpire said not out. Replays proved to be inconclusive. Bangladesh only had 3 runs to get from 9 balls but Mahmud had 3 balls in the over to face and he was certainly no batsman.
That was proven the very next ball when Mendis had him beaten comprehensively. He heard the death rattle and started the long walk back. Mendis had gotten a five wicket haul and the team celebrated. If Sri Lanka won, he was a candidate for the man of the match for sure.
For Bangladesh, it was simple. One wicket in hand and the same 3 runs to get. Rahim had a long talk with Shahzada but he was helpless as he stood at the striker?s end. Mendis prepared to bowl.
Shahzada blocked his first ball. Shakib, looking on in the dressing room, bit whatever was left of his fingernails. One ball to go before Rahim would be back on strike.
Mendis came in. The ball pitched on a good length, just on leg stump. Shahzada?s eyes lit up. He swung. He hit it, all right. The ball came off of the bottom edge and went through his legs to hit the stumps. Sri Lanka celebrated. Bangladesh looked stunned. Shahzada looked at the stumps. That would be a picture that would be everywhere tomorrow.
End of Bangladesh innings ? 248/10(49), Mahmadullah 93(84), Mendis 6-47(9)
Sri Lanka win by 2 runs
Shakib is interviewed first in the post-match ceremony. He says that this defeat is a hard thing for the team, as they thought they had the match in the bag around the 43rd over or so. But after Mahmadullah?s wicket, everything seemed to fall apart. They were happy that they took Sri Lanka right down to the wire, but it was a match that he felt Bangladesh should have won.
Sangakarra half shares Shakib?s thoughts. He said that Bangladesh played superbly and Mahmadullah had them worried for some time. But once he fell they knew that the lower order would struggle. He had to commend Mendis on a brilliant spell of bowling on a tough pitch.
Mendis is the man of the match and with Sangakarra translating, he says that his bowling is something he enjoys and to take wicket and bowl your team to victory is something very special.
2 runs. Tough to take for me. Very tough. The lower order needs reshuffling and maybe a couple of players need to be dropped. The top has been performing so well but even in the Tests it was the guys batting lower down that really failed.
Third ODI tomorrow. All to play for.
Onto the chase...
Bangladesh needed a good start if they were to chase the target successfully. The openers took advantage of a rare display of wayward bowling from Saman to take 9 runs off of the first over and the chase was already underway positively.
They continued to play their shots but also run the singles and twos when they could and by the end of the first Powerplay, there was nothing at all to choose between the two teams as Bangladesh had reached 52 without loss. Sri Lanka took their bowling Powerplay immediately, however, perhaps wanting the batsmen to take the chance of hitting over the field and to the boundary.
It almost worked for them, too. The first ball of the 11th over, Nafees tried to turn one through midwicket but the man standing there fumbled the catch and it fell to the ground, Saman was not pleased and he let out a grunt of frustration. At the other end, Kumara had more success when he had Tamim LBW for 23 with one that just turned a fraction.
Mahmadullah came out and hit his second ball through the covers for four, but the Sri Lankans kept the field in close after the Powerplay ended and the batsmen struggled to score. It was in the 18th over that Mahmadullah broke the shackles with two wonderful shots that both went for four. The next over, Nafees joined in on the action with a boundary square on the offside before he got a single to bring Mahmadullah on strike. Mahmadullah promptly square drove the next ball for another four and Bangladesh found themselves on par with the asking rate once again.
Nafees got to his fifty with a push to long on in the 22nd over. It came up off of 67 balls with 6 fours. He fell in the next over, however, LBW to Mendis for 54. Hom walked to the crease with some pressure on him. He had scored 20-odd in the first match but his strike rate was not at the level that some would have wanted it to be. He went about rectifying that problem by crashing his first ball for four before taking a couple of runs off of his second ball.
With his 10th ball he cut hard at a ball that was short and wide. The ball went straight to short third man, who dropped the catch. Mendis was disappointed. Sangakarra was not impressed either. Hom then tried to settle himself down by playing a more defensive game, hanging around and playing only the balls that he wanted to. With the asking rate just under 5 an over, he could afford to do that.
He was out in the 29th over, however, flashing at another wide ball that short third man held onto this time. At the other end, Mahmadullah was playing a silent but not at all ineffective innings. Without anybody really noticing, he had worked his way to 49 off of 52 balls. When he sent his 53rd ball to the point boundary off of a free hit, a superb fifty was brought up. Mahmadullah raised his bat to the dressing room and the fans before putting his head down once more.
Bangladesh took their batting Powerplay at the start of the 32nd over. Shakib was new to the crease but he could be dangerous if he got going. Mahmadullah had been out there for over an hour by that time and he had runs behind his name already.
The bowling was good, however, and the batsmen had to play intelligently. They got very few balls to connect with and instead they settled on piercing the field and taking the singles and twos that were there. Shakib went LBW to Athukorala with 2 overs to go in the Powerplay but he and Mahmadullah had by that time shared a useful partnership of 40 in good time.
If Bangladesh were unable to get the ball away, they still made sure that they did not let the required rate get out of hand. They put the fielders under pressure and ran sharp runs. Boundaries were few and far between but with the singles, nothing seemed out of Bangladesh?s hands.
Mahmadullah provided a fine example of that in the 43rd over when he took the first 5 balls for 18 runs. He was caught down the leg side by short fine leg off of the 6th ball, however. He shook his head as he walked back, disappointed that he did not carry on to make his century. He went for 93 off of only 84 balls. Bangladesh were 230 for 5 at that point and 21 runs were needed off of 7 overs.
Bangladesh lost another wicket two overs later, however. Mendis got Islam LBW to a straight ball for 15 with the score unchanged. Aziz walked out and relieved the pressure by hitting his first ball way over the ropes for a big six. He was bowled by Mendis a few balls later, going for 10.
Dolar Mahmud and Mushfiqur Rahim, the two men who had brought the game home last time, were in the middle again. They had a mid-pitch conference before Mahmud took strike. He survived a massive shout for a catch behind but the umpire said not out. Replays proved to be inconclusive. Bangladesh only had 3 runs to get from 9 balls but Mahmud had 3 balls in the over to face and he was certainly no batsman.
That was proven the very next ball when Mendis had him beaten comprehensively. He heard the death rattle and started the long walk back. Mendis had gotten a five wicket haul and the team celebrated. If Sri Lanka won, he was a candidate for the man of the match for sure.
For Bangladesh, it was simple. One wicket in hand and the same 3 runs to get. Rahim had a long talk with Shahzada but he was helpless as he stood at the striker?s end. Mendis prepared to bowl.
Shahzada blocked his first ball. Shakib, looking on in the dressing room, bit whatever was left of his fingernails. One ball to go before Rahim would be back on strike.
Mendis came in. The ball pitched on a good length, just on leg stump. Shahzada?s eyes lit up. He swung. He hit it, all right. The ball came off of the bottom edge and went through his legs to hit the stumps. Sri Lanka celebrated. Bangladesh looked stunned. Shahzada looked at the stumps. That would be a picture that would be everywhere tomorrow.
End of Bangladesh innings ? 248/10(49), Mahmadullah 93(84), Mendis 6-47(9)
Sri Lanka win by 2 runs
Shakib is interviewed first in the post-match ceremony. He says that this defeat is a hard thing for the team, as they thought they had the match in the bag around the 43rd over or so. But after Mahmadullah?s wicket, everything seemed to fall apart. They were happy that they took Sri Lanka right down to the wire, but it was a match that he felt Bangladesh should have won.
Sangakarra half shares Shakib?s thoughts. He said that Bangladesh played superbly and Mahmadullah had them worried for some time. But once he fell they knew that the lower order would struggle. He had to commend Mendis on a brilliant spell of bowling on a tough pitch.
Mendis is the man of the match and with Sangakarra translating, he says that his bowling is something he enjoys and to take wicket and bowl your team to victory is something very special.
2 runs. Tough to take for me. Very tough. The lower order needs reshuffling and maybe a couple of players need to be dropped. The top has been performing so well but even in the Tests it was the guys batting lower down that really failed.
Third ODI tomorrow. All to play for.
qpeedore
SOTM Winner - July 2014
The third ODI beckons. Bangladesh have not been used to this sort of situation. There is a lot of pressure on them. At the same time, Sri Lanka would be under pressure as well. Losing the ODI series at home to a weaker side is something that they would have to avoid.
Pitch report and weather forecast 3rd ODI
There is no doubt that the curator wants to see big scores in this game. A fresh pitch that is flat without offering anything at all for the bowlers. In addition to that, the outfield is lightning fast. There wont be many twos in this one. Either the ball goes to the boundary or it speeds to a fielder for a single.
Squads
Sri Lanka
Kumar Sangakarra (CAPT Bat)
Upul Tharange (Bat)
Angelo Matthews (All)
Dinesh Chandimal (WKB)
Mahela Jayawardene (Bat)
Lahiru Thirimanne (Bat)
Thilan Samaraweera (All)
Saliya Saman (Bowl)
Indika Karunatilleke (All)
Mangala Kumara (Bowl)
Ajantha Mendis (Bowl)
Karunatilleke gets his first game of the ODI series, replacing Athukorala. This is a strong batting lineup, and if Sri Lanka can manage to avoid a collapse this time around, Bangladesh may well find themselves out of the match very early on.
Watch out for
Mahela Jayawardene He scored 60 not out in the last match and stayed at the wicket while his teammates fell to poor shots. If someone else can stick around and keep him company, there is no telling how high the score will be at the end.
Ajantha Mendis Believe it or not, his 6-47 in the last match was actually not his best figures in an ODI. He tore through the visitors and the home team is going to want him to continue this great run of form.
Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal (Bat)
Shahriar Nafees (Bat)
Mohammed Mahmadullah (All)
Shakib Al Hasan (CAPT All)
Naeem Islam (All)
Imrul Kayes (Bat)
Alok Kapali (All)
Mushfiqur Rahim (WK)
Tareq Aziz (Bowl)
Dolar Mahmud (Bowl)
Mohammed Shahzada (Bowl)
Hom and Kamal both sit this one out after underperforming in the first two games. Kayes gets his first international game in a very long time, but his ODI record thus far has not been too bad. Kapali also comes into the team and he would want to stake a claim for a more permanent spot in the side.
Watch out for
Mohammed Mahmadullah He scored 93 to help Bangladesh come within touching distance of Sri Lanka a few days ago. Today he would want to repeat that and perhaps even go further.
Dolar Mahmud He was the pick of the Bangladeshi bowlers in the last match and he has the ability to take wickets at the death.
At the toss, Shakib stuck to tails as usual but this time he lost. Sangakarra chose to bat first though, saying that the pitch was perhaps the best batting pitch of the series so far. They wanted to set a big score and ensure that they successfully defend it.
Shakib is not unhappy about chasing, saying that Bangladesh always liked knowing their target. He mentions the two changes in the team and says that they were brought in for their batting. They had a great chance of winning the series with this last match and they were going to play at their best.
Play 3rd ODI
There was a large crowd in the stands, and the commentators mentioned that with the long lines outside, some people might have to be turned away. As the Sri Lankan openers came out, there was a roar from the fans.
Sangakarra took strike first and he was pushed onto the back foot immediately by Mahmud, who bowled it short of a good length and got some nice bounce on it. Sangakarra was equal to it, though, defending nicely into the onside. He got Sri Lanka going with a push past backward point that third man ran across to intercept. Two runs came off of the first over.
Aziz, perhaps seeing that Mahmud was bowling them shorter than usual in order to take advantage of any bounce that was there, did the same. Two runs came off of his first over as well.
Tharanga hit the first boundary of the day when Mahmud strayed onto the legs a bit. He clipped it over midwickets head and it raced to the boundary, bouncing twice before it clattered into the advertising boards.
Aziz thought he had Sangakarra LBW in the third over, but the umpire said no and the keeper was heading down the leg side in any case, a good indication of where the ball would have gone as well.
In Mahmuds next over, he had Tharanga playing at one away from his body with no footwork whatsoever. The ball went off of a thick outside edge to gully, who had to stand tall to take a good catch almost at head height. 12 for 1 in the 5th over and Bangladesh had drawn first blood.
Sangakarra was no longer uncomfortable with the shorter balls by this time, however, and he showed just how good the outfield was with a few boundaries that just flew across the turf. Matthews was never one to hang around and defend much, and he got himself a couple of fours as well. By the end of the first Powerplay, Sri Lanka were 39 for 1.
Shakib had a chat with Mahmud for a moment before signaling to the umpire that he would take the bowling Powerplay immediately. It passed without too much fuss, the batsmen scoring 23 runs in the 5 overs.
Shahzada proved to be a little too expensive and he was removed from the attack as Islam came on to bowl in tandem with his captain. His first over went uneventfully, but in Shakibs over, Matthews advanced down the pitch and took him for two fours to bring up another quick half century. It came off of just 63 balls with 9 fours.
In Shakibs next over, Sangakarra survived a loud appeal for LBW, but the ball had hit him outside the off stump and he was attempting a shot. Not out was the call, and it was the right call.
Matthews looked hungry for runs and took Islam for a big six over midwicket. The fielder on the boundary thought he had a chance when the ball was hit, but he could only watch as the ball sailed over him and landed about five rows back.
Shakib was troubling Sangakarra, however, and it was not long before he finally was out LBW to the left arm spinner. He fell just 3 runs short of 50.
At the other end Matthews had taken a liking to Islam. He hit him for another six, this one flatter and over mid off. Islam argued silently with himself after he had bowled that ball. He was taken out of the attack but Matthews continued on, taking Mahmadullah for 8 in his first over. Bangladesh seemingly had no answer to him.
Matthews entered the 90s and looked set to score a century. At the other end, Chandimal was happy to play the role of the less aggressive batsman, but despite that his strike rate was up near 100 too.
Matthews brought up a well-played century with a single to deep point. Chandimal came into strike and seemed to decide that he had to show how easy it was to score runs on this pitch too. He hit some boundaries and by the time Sri Lanka took their batting Powerplay at the start of over 39, Chandimal was on 39 from 32, Matthews was on 104 and the team was at 202.
Shahzada finally took the wicket of Matthews, breaking the 77-run partnership with only the first delivery of the Powerplay. A new batsman at the crease and Sri Lanka would hope that he settled quickly with the restrictions still in effect.
That new man was Jayawardene, a man who has probably seen it all in his career so far. He played proper shots instead of slogging, and still the runs came. With Chandimal at the other end, the two men plundered 44 from the rest of the Powerplay. In the process, Chandimal got to his fifty off of 45 deliveries.
Sri Lanka did not stop raining runs. But Bangladesh could not totally blame the pitch for that. The bowling was average at best. When Shahzada bowled Jayawardene in the 48th over, there was no celebration at all. The score was already imposing, and Bangladesh were flat in the field.
The innings closed with Sri Lanka almost at 300. A tough score to get against any team, let alone Bangladesh against Sri Lanka.
End of Sri Lanka innings 295/4(50), Matthews 104(114), Shahzada 2-66(10)
Bangladesh need 296 at 5.9 per over
Jayawardene is spoken to at the end of the innings. He has every confidence that this is a big score that Bangladesh would not be able to successfully chase. Matthews had played a gem of an innings and he was in such good form that stopping him seemed impossible. They had to work hard when they got into the field, though.
Pitch report and weather forecast 3rd ODI
There is no doubt that the curator wants to see big scores in this game. A fresh pitch that is flat without offering anything at all for the bowlers. In addition to that, the outfield is lightning fast. There wont be many twos in this one. Either the ball goes to the boundary or it speeds to a fielder for a single.
Squads
Sri Lanka
Kumar Sangakarra (CAPT Bat)
Upul Tharange (Bat)
Angelo Matthews (All)
Dinesh Chandimal (WKB)
Mahela Jayawardene (Bat)
Lahiru Thirimanne (Bat)
Thilan Samaraweera (All)
Saliya Saman (Bowl)
Indika Karunatilleke (All)
Mangala Kumara (Bowl)
Ajantha Mendis (Bowl)
Karunatilleke gets his first game of the ODI series, replacing Athukorala. This is a strong batting lineup, and if Sri Lanka can manage to avoid a collapse this time around, Bangladesh may well find themselves out of the match very early on.
Watch out for
Mahela Jayawardene He scored 60 not out in the last match and stayed at the wicket while his teammates fell to poor shots. If someone else can stick around and keep him company, there is no telling how high the score will be at the end.
Ajantha Mendis Believe it or not, his 6-47 in the last match was actually not his best figures in an ODI. He tore through the visitors and the home team is going to want him to continue this great run of form.
Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal (Bat)
Shahriar Nafees (Bat)
Mohammed Mahmadullah (All)
Shakib Al Hasan (CAPT All)
Naeem Islam (All)
Imrul Kayes (Bat)
Alok Kapali (All)
Mushfiqur Rahim (WK)
Tareq Aziz (Bowl)
Dolar Mahmud (Bowl)
Mohammed Shahzada (Bowl)
Hom and Kamal both sit this one out after underperforming in the first two games. Kayes gets his first international game in a very long time, but his ODI record thus far has not been too bad. Kapali also comes into the team and he would want to stake a claim for a more permanent spot in the side.
Watch out for
Mohammed Mahmadullah He scored 93 to help Bangladesh come within touching distance of Sri Lanka a few days ago. Today he would want to repeat that and perhaps even go further.
Dolar Mahmud He was the pick of the Bangladeshi bowlers in the last match and he has the ability to take wickets at the death.
At the toss, Shakib stuck to tails as usual but this time he lost. Sangakarra chose to bat first though, saying that the pitch was perhaps the best batting pitch of the series so far. They wanted to set a big score and ensure that they successfully defend it.
Shakib is not unhappy about chasing, saying that Bangladesh always liked knowing their target. He mentions the two changes in the team and says that they were brought in for their batting. They had a great chance of winning the series with this last match and they were going to play at their best.
Play 3rd ODI
There was a large crowd in the stands, and the commentators mentioned that with the long lines outside, some people might have to be turned away. As the Sri Lankan openers came out, there was a roar from the fans.
Sangakarra took strike first and he was pushed onto the back foot immediately by Mahmud, who bowled it short of a good length and got some nice bounce on it. Sangakarra was equal to it, though, defending nicely into the onside. He got Sri Lanka going with a push past backward point that third man ran across to intercept. Two runs came off of the first over.
Aziz, perhaps seeing that Mahmud was bowling them shorter than usual in order to take advantage of any bounce that was there, did the same. Two runs came off of his first over as well.
Tharanga hit the first boundary of the day when Mahmud strayed onto the legs a bit. He clipped it over midwickets head and it raced to the boundary, bouncing twice before it clattered into the advertising boards.
Aziz thought he had Sangakarra LBW in the third over, but the umpire said no and the keeper was heading down the leg side in any case, a good indication of where the ball would have gone as well.
In Mahmuds next over, he had Tharanga playing at one away from his body with no footwork whatsoever. The ball went off of a thick outside edge to gully, who had to stand tall to take a good catch almost at head height. 12 for 1 in the 5th over and Bangladesh had drawn first blood.
Sangakarra was no longer uncomfortable with the shorter balls by this time, however, and he showed just how good the outfield was with a few boundaries that just flew across the turf. Matthews was never one to hang around and defend much, and he got himself a couple of fours as well. By the end of the first Powerplay, Sri Lanka were 39 for 1.
Shakib had a chat with Mahmud for a moment before signaling to the umpire that he would take the bowling Powerplay immediately. It passed without too much fuss, the batsmen scoring 23 runs in the 5 overs.
Shahzada proved to be a little too expensive and he was removed from the attack as Islam came on to bowl in tandem with his captain. His first over went uneventfully, but in Shakibs over, Matthews advanced down the pitch and took him for two fours to bring up another quick half century. It came off of just 63 balls with 9 fours.
In Shakibs next over, Sangakarra survived a loud appeal for LBW, but the ball had hit him outside the off stump and he was attempting a shot. Not out was the call, and it was the right call.
Matthews looked hungry for runs and took Islam for a big six over midwicket. The fielder on the boundary thought he had a chance when the ball was hit, but he could only watch as the ball sailed over him and landed about five rows back.
Shakib was troubling Sangakarra, however, and it was not long before he finally was out LBW to the left arm spinner. He fell just 3 runs short of 50.
At the other end Matthews had taken a liking to Islam. He hit him for another six, this one flatter and over mid off. Islam argued silently with himself after he had bowled that ball. He was taken out of the attack but Matthews continued on, taking Mahmadullah for 8 in his first over. Bangladesh seemingly had no answer to him.
Matthews entered the 90s and looked set to score a century. At the other end, Chandimal was happy to play the role of the less aggressive batsman, but despite that his strike rate was up near 100 too.
Matthews brought up a well-played century with a single to deep point. Chandimal came into strike and seemed to decide that he had to show how easy it was to score runs on this pitch too. He hit some boundaries and by the time Sri Lanka took their batting Powerplay at the start of over 39, Chandimal was on 39 from 32, Matthews was on 104 and the team was at 202.
Shahzada finally took the wicket of Matthews, breaking the 77-run partnership with only the first delivery of the Powerplay. A new batsman at the crease and Sri Lanka would hope that he settled quickly with the restrictions still in effect.
That new man was Jayawardene, a man who has probably seen it all in his career so far. He played proper shots instead of slogging, and still the runs came. With Chandimal at the other end, the two men plundered 44 from the rest of the Powerplay. In the process, Chandimal got to his fifty off of 45 deliveries.
Sri Lanka did not stop raining runs. But Bangladesh could not totally blame the pitch for that. The bowling was average at best. When Shahzada bowled Jayawardene in the 48th over, there was no celebration at all. The score was already imposing, and Bangladesh were flat in the field.
The innings closed with Sri Lanka almost at 300. A tough score to get against any team, let alone Bangladesh against Sri Lanka.
End of Sri Lanka innings 295/4(50), Matthews 104(114), Shahzada 2-66(10)
Bangladesh need 296 at 5.9 per over
Jayawardene is spoken to at the end of the innings. He has every confidence that this is a big score that Bangladesh would not be able to successfully chase. Matthews had played a gem of an innings and he was in such good form that stopping him seemed impossible. They had to work hard when they got into the field, though.
Aislabie
Test Cricket is Best Cricket
I don't share your certainty, but it's a big win either way.
qpeedore
SOTM Winner - July 2014
Bangladesh had a hard task ahead of them. Nobody knew that better than the openers. They had to lay the platform for the chase if Bangladesh were to win the match by getting past Sri Lanka?s imposing total.
Both men at the top had some good form with the bat behind them. The pitch was still ideal for batting and that would make the job easier for them. Tamim showed just how good the pitch was by getting on top of Karunatilleke?s second delivery to smash it to mid off?s left for a boundary. Nafees played a carbon copy of that shot in the next over. Saman had the new ball swinging, but Nafees adjusted for that and got on the front foot to hit the ball back past the bowler and mid off for his first four.
Nafees kept going, hitting Saman for a 6 that was cut over backward point. He could not keep going for much longer, however. Saman came back well in his next over to beat him comprehensively and the ball took the off stump. He went with the score on 22.
Mahmadullah came out and seemed happy to get himself in rather than play aggressively from the start. The two batsmen in the middle kept the scoreboard ticking. The required rate went past 6.5 but with wickets in hand, that was not too important so early on. By the end of 10 overs they were 38 for 1.
Sri Lanka took their bowling Powerplay after 14 overs. They probably figured that with the batsmen not taking much risks, they could entice them to go for the big shots and possibly lose a wicket or two that way.
Mahmadullah showed that risks were not necessary if good shots were played, taking Mendis for a boundary that travelled all along the ground to the wide mid off boundary. Tamim hit Mendis for another boundary in his next over, this one going straight back past the bowler.
Kumara got Mahmadullah to edge to slip in the next over. He went for 25. Shakib walked out with the asking rate touching 7. Mendis then had Tamim stumped as he fired the ball in wide, seeing Tamim advancing up the pitch to him. Three wickets down for 74.
Samaraweera had Islam LBW for only 1 in the very next over. Bangladesh were starting to falter now. When Samaraweera came back to take the wicket of Shakib in the 24th over, half the side was gone for under 100.
Kayes tried to up the run rate, but he only managed to make 24 before trying to play a horrible shot that went right down to fine leg for a simple catch. Rahim came out and hit 3 of his first 4 balls four boundaries but some wondered if just how much longer Bangladesh would be able to hold on.
Kapali was not to be outdone by Mushfiqur, however. He took Samaraweera for 16 runs in the 29th over, hitting three fours and a six. He kept his scoring rate up, but could only make 33 off of 26 balls until he holed out to deep point.
Rahim fell two balls later, caught at square leg by Mendis for 20. Some of the Bangladesh supporters started to pack their things. It was only a matter of time.
That time came in the 40th over and again in the 44th over as the final two wickets fell. Bangladesh had lost.
End of Bangladesh innings ? 203/10(43.1), Kapali 33, Samaraweera 3-41(6.1)
Sri Lanka win by 92 runs
Shakib speaks first in the post-match ceremony. He says that the pitch was great for batting and they allowed Sri Lanka to post a total which was too large in the end. Their batting was average at best and they were not able to maintain the 6 per over needed throughout the innings as they lost wickets at regular intervals.
Man of the match Matthews says that he was elated to get a century in a match they needed to win, and he has been in good form for a while. He hopes to continue this good form into other series against stronger teams.
Sangakarra comes last in the presentation, saying that his team performed well under pressure today. He gives credit to Bangladesh for giving them some stiff competition for more than just a few moments during the series but he always had faith in his men and they managed to bring home the series.
The team collects their medals and Sangakarra receives the trophy before they start celebrating as Bangladesh show a good display of sportsmanship by hanging around and applauding them for a few moments before they go into the dressing rooms. The Sri Lankan team takes a lap of honour around the ground and the cameras cut to the analysis.
One T20 match to go in what has been a good series for me so far. Relatively speaking, of course. Only 1 win, but a drawn Test and a close second ODI makes me have hope against weaker teams like West Indies, New Zealand and even England.
Both men at the top had some good form with the bat behind them. The pitch was still ideal for batting and that would make the job easier for them. Tamim showed just how good the pitch was by getting on top of Karunatilleke?s second delivery to smash it to mid off?s left for a boundary. Nafees played a carbon copy of that shot in the next over. Saman had the new ball swinging, but Nafees adjusted for that and got on the front foot to hit the ball back past the bowler and mid off for his first four.
Nafees kept going, hitting Saman for a 6 that was cut over backward point. He could not keep going for much longer, however. Saman came back well in his next over to beat him comprehensively and the ball took the off stump. He went with the score on 22.
Mahmadullah came out and seemed happy to get himself in rather than play aggressively from the start. The two batsmen in the middle kept the scoreboard ticking. The required rate went past 6.5 but with wickets in hand, that was not too important so early on. By the end of 10 overs they were 38 for 1.
Sri Lanka took their bowling Powerplay after 14 overs. They probably figured that with the batsmen not taking much risks, they could entice them to go for the big shots and possibly lose a wicket or two that way.
Mahmadullah showed that risks were not necessary if good shots were played, taking Mendis for a boundary that travelled all along the ground to the wide mid off boundary. Tamim hit Mendis for another boundary in his next over, this one going straight back past the bowler.
Kumara got Mahmadullah to edge to slip in the next over. He went for 25. Shakib walked out with the asking rate touching 7. Mendis then had Tamim stumped as he fired the ball in wide, seeing Tamim advancing up the pitch to him. Three wickets down for 74.
Samaraweera had Islam LBW for only 1 in the very next over. Bangladesh were starting to falter now. When Samaraweera came back to take the wicket of Shakib in the 24th over, half the side was gone for under 100.
Kayes tried to up the run rate, but he only managed to make 24 before trying to play a horrible shot that went right down to fine leg for a simple catch. Rahim came out and hit 3 of his first 4 balls four boundaries but some wondered if just how much longer Bangladesh would be able to hold on.
Kapali was not to be outdone by Mushfiqur, however. He took Samaraweera for 16 runs in the 29th over, hitting three fours and a six. He kept his scoring rate up, but could only make 33 off of 26 balls until he holed out to deep point.
Rahim fell two balls later, caught at square leg by Mendis for 20. Some of the Bangladesh supporters started to pack their things. It was only a matter of time.
That time came in the 40th over and again in the 44th over as the final two wickets fell. Bangladesh had lost.
End of Bangladesh innings ? 203/10(43.1), Kapali 33, Samaraweera 3-41(6.1)
Sri Lanka win by 92 runs
Shakib speaks first in the post-match ceremony. He says that the pitch was great for batting and they allowed Sri Lanka to post a total which was too large in the end. Their batting was average at best and they were not able to maintain the 6 per over needed throughout the innings as they lost wickets at regular intervals.
Man of the match Matthews says that he was elated to get a century in a match they needed to win, and he has been in good form for a while. He hopes to continue this good form into other series against stronger teams.
Sangakarra comes last in the presentation, saying that his team performed well under pressure today. He gives credit to Bangladesh for giving them some stiff competition for more than just a few moments during the series but he always had faith in his men and they managed to bring home the series.
The team collects their medals and Sangakarra receives the trophy before they start celebrating as Bangladesh show a good display of sportsmanship by hanging around and applauding them for a few moments before they go into the dressing rooms. The Sri Lankan team takes a lap of honour around the ground and the cameras cut to the analysis.
One T20 match to go in what has been a good series for me so far. Relatively speaking, of course. Only 1 win, but a drawn Test and a close second ODI makes me have hope against weaker teams like West Indies, New Zealand and even England.
Did you really get three outfield catches in an innings in ICC? That's so much more realistic than when I play. I'm lucky if I get one a game. Catches all go to either the keeper, the bowler, or short leg.
EDIT: Yup. 26 in 26 matches, including ones that were dropped, since I started counting. That includes 19 domestic one-dayers, 4 domestic four-dayers, and 3 Tests. So it's more than 26 innings.
EDIT the EDIT::doh That was dumb. That includes both innings in each match, so it's more like 60 innings.
EDIT: Yup. 26 in 26 matches, including ones that were dropped, since I started counting. That includes 19 domestic one-dayers, 4 domestic four-dayers, and 3 Tests. So it's more than 26 innings.
EDIT the EDIT::doh That was dumb. That includes both innings in each match, so it's more like 60 innings.
Last edited:
qpeedore
SOTM Winner - July 2014
I get more outfield catches in limited overs. Guys hole out to long on/off, deep midwicket, third man pretty often actually. Test match catches are usually slips, short leg or silly point.
I prefer to call the short midwicket an orthodox midwicket for the purposes of writing this story. It's way more realistic and it's pretty much a difference of a few yards, so...yeah.
The only T20 international of the series takes place in a packed ground. T20 has always been a big draw especially in the subcontinent, and this match is no different.
Pitch report and weather forecast ? only T20 International
This pitch is prepared with one thing in mind: batting. No help whatsoever for the bowlers and with a fast outfield and the boundary ropes in closer than usual, expect big scores regardless of who bats first or second. There might be a small problem with dew later on into the night, but really that should only be a minor thing.
Squads
Sri Lanka
Kumar Sangakarra (CAPT ? Bat)
Lahiru Thirimanne (Bat)
Angelo Matthews (All)
Dinesh Chandimal (WKB)
Mahela Jayawardene (All)
Thilan Samaraweera (All)
Saliya Samara (Bowl)
Chatura Athukorala (Bowl)
Mangala Kumara (Bowl)
Marlan Madusanka (Bowl)
Ajantha Mendis (Bowl)
Surprisingly, Sri Lanka have packed their team with bowlers, having five specialist bowlers in their lineup. They must be very confident with their batting and hope to lose only a few wickets in their 20 overs.
Watch out for
Angelo Matthews ? Was devastating in the last match and if he looks even half as good today, Bangladesh should still fear him.
Ajantha Mendis ? He seems suited to T20 with his variations and he may prove to be more than a handful today.
Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal (Bat)
Shahriar Nafees (Bat)
Mohammed Mahmadullah (All)
Shakib Al Hasan (All)
Naeem Islam (Bat)
Imrul Kayes (Bat)
Alok Kapali (All)
Mushfiqur Rahim (WK)
Tareq Aziz (Bowl)
Dolar Mahmud (Bowl)
Mohammed Shahzada (Bowl)
On paper, Bangladesh look like the more rounded team, but you never know which Bangladesh side are going to show up.
Watch out for
Shakib Al Hasan ? He is without a doubt Bangladesh?s best all round cricketer and tonight he will be needed in both batting and with the ball.
Dolar Mahmud ? He has risen from nowhere to lead the bowling attack in just a short time and he would want to continue his form today.
The toss
Shakib wins the toss and has no hesitation about putting Sri Lanka in to bat. He says that today?s pitch looks good but with Sri Lanka?s long tail he hopes to take some early wickets and put the pressure on them. He expects that anything around 160 should be gettable later on.
Sangakarra is happy to bat first but he disagrees with 160. He hopes to get closer to 180 or 190, saying that Bangladesh seemed to approach things differently when a big score was on the cards.
Play ? Only T20 International
Sangakarra seemed to have a problem with being caught in the crease early on, and Mahmud looked to exploit this. He managed to hit the pads with his second ball, but the ball was sliding down the leg side anyway. Too make things worse, it went all the way for four leg byes. The next ball, Sangakarra got himself off the mark in a convincing fashion, smashing the ball past midwicket for a four.
He continued in the next over, pulling Aziz for a boundary through square leg. Aziz adjusted and bowled a little fuller, and Sangakarra was kept in check for the next two balls until he got a single to fine leg to get himself off strike.
Sangakarra was clearly the aggressor early on, and he continued with a pull between mid on and midwicket for another boundary in Mahmud?s second over.
Shakib swapped Aziz out of the attack and replaced him with Shahzada. That only caused Thirimanne to start scoring freely, hitting him for two boundaries in his over. Aziz switched ends but that did not matter to Sangakarra, who hit another four past square leg. Not even Shakib himself could restrain him as the Sri Lankan captain hit the last three balls of his first over for four each.
Sangakarra raced to fifty off of only 31 balls, but he lost Thirimanne with the score on 84 when the other opening batsman was out LBW to the arm ball from Mahmadullah. Alok Kapali then had the ever-dangerous Matthews out cheaply in the next over, caught behind for just 1.
Mahmadullah and Islam combined to produce the wicket of Sangakarra. Mahmadullah floated it up to him and he took the bait, trying to clip it through midwicket but he could only find Islam standing on the edge of the circle. He went for 55.
With two new men at the crease, the faster bowlers came on for a couple of overs but the added pace just saw the ball disappearing to the boundary faster than it came. The slower bowlers were the ones who had the task of keeping the batsmen in check.
That paid off for Mahmadullah, who took his third in the 18th over by getting Chandimal to hit one to deep backward point for 20.
Jayawardene was never a slogger, but he was always one to ensure that he kept his strike rate up with proper shots. Unfortunately for him a lot of those shots went straight to fielders, who attacked the ball as it came toward them and fired in lightning returns to the wicket.
There was not much else of interest in the innings. A lot of singles were taken as the ball kept finding the fielders. Occasionally Sri Lanka got one to the boundary. But none over it. At the end of the innings, Sri Lanka fell far short of the 180 they had set for themselves, but they still had a total that was more than competitive.
End of Sri Lanka innings ? 156/4(20), Sangakarra 55(37), Mahmadullah 3-21(4)
Bangladesh need 157 runs at 7.8 per over
Bangladesh had a total that was very chaseable on this pitch. In addition to that, the sun had set and the dew would come into play very soon. The spinners in particular would have some trouble gripping the ball and the fielders might have problems as well. But the dew would make the ball do some funny things before it reached the batsmen. Bangladesh needed to be careful against them.
That was exemplified when Tamim hit one straight to mid on in the first over. It was an inswinger that Tamim thought he could work into the on side but the ball did nothing after pitching and it took the leading edge and popped into the air. A soft dismissal.
Athukorala got another one with a swinging ball, this time bowling Mahmadullah for 3. Two wickets down for only 15 and Bangladesh were up against it. Bangladesh soon lost a third, Nafees falling LBW to Saman for 18.
Shakib and Nafees scored mostly in singles and by the halfway mark, the asking rate was above 10 an over. But they seemed to want to settle first before they started to attack more. That plan was ruined when Shakib was gone LBW to Mendis in the 12th over. Kayes was out the very next ball, trying to attack too hard from ball one but mistiming it horribly and providing catching practice to deep square leg.
Mendis was on a hat trick. But Kapali easily pushed his first ball into the onside for a single to avoid the embarrassment of the triple wicket.
Madusanka had the perfect chance to push Bangladesh even further behind when he was presented with a relatively straightforward catch off of his own bowling. The ball went straight in and out of his hands, however. He got his revenge off of the last ball when he bowled Kapali for only 1.
Islam had by this time provided the only resistance for Bangladesh, but he was LBW in Madusanka?s next over for 30 from 26. With him went Bangladesh?s hopes. Unless a miracle happened, the match was pretty much over.
Aziz provided some entertainment for a brief time, hitting two fours before he was stumped by Chandimal after advancing up the pitch looking for another one.
Bangladesh tried hard to up their scoring rate but it was just not enough and they fell 32 runs short at the end of the 20 overs.
End of Bangladesh innings ? 124/8(20), Islam 30(26), Mendis 3-27(4)
Sri Lanka win by 32 runs
Post-match, Shakib says that his team was unable to keep up with the required rate but he was still taking some positives away from this match and also the series. A lot of things had been achieved over the course of the past few weeks, and he hopes that Bangladesh saw it as another learning experience and moved on to get better in the future.
Sangakarra is happy to have won so convincingly and he says that winning was always great. He says that his team has been trying to perfect their bowling combination and using the information from this series, they would be better able to decide on a set lineup. He says that Bangladesh should be proud of their performances and expects that the next time the two teams meet, things looked like they would be a lot closer than in this series.
So that?s the series. I had a lot of fun playing it and writing it. I?ll be back with the World T20 soon enough. With scorecards too!
I prefer to call the short midwicket an orthodox midwicket for the purposes of writing this story. It's way more realistic and it's pretty much a difference of a few yards, so...yeah.
The only T20 international of the series takes place in a packed ground. T20 has always been a big draw especially in the subcontinent, and this match is no different.
Pitch report and weather forecast ? only T20 International
This pitch is prepared with one thing in mind: batting. No help whatsoever for the bowlers and with a fast outfield and the boundary ropes in closer than usual, expect big scores regardless of who bats first or second. There might be a small problem with dew later on into the night, but really that should only be a minor thing.
Squads
Sri Lanka
Kumar Sangakarra (CAPT ? Bat)
Lahiru Thirimanne (Bat)
Angelo Matthews (All)
Dinesh Chandimal (WKB)
Mahela Jayawardene (All)
Thilan Samaraweera (All)
Saliya Samara (Bowl)
Chatura Athukorala (Bowl)
Mangala Kumara (Bowl)
Marlan Madusanka (Bowl)
Ajantha Mendis (Bowl)
Surprisingly, Sri Lanka have packed their team with bowlers, having five specialist bowlers in their lineup. They must be very confident with their batting and hope to lose only a few wickets in their 20 overs.
Watch out for
Angelo Matthews ? Was devastating in the last match and if he looks even half as good today, Bangladesh should still fear him.
Ajantha Mendis ? He seems suited to T20 with his variations and he may prove to be more than a handful today.
Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal (Bat)
Shahriar Nafees (Bat)
Mohammed Mahmadullah (All)
Shakib Al Hasan (All)
Naeem Islam (Bat)
Imrul Kayes (Bat)
Alok Kapali (All)
Mushfiqur Rahim (WK)
Tareq Aziz (Bowl)
Dolar Mahmud (Bowl)
Mohammed Shahzada (Bowl)
On paper, Bangladesh look like the more rounded team, but you never know which Bangladesh side are going to show up.
Watch out for
Shakib Al Hasan ? He is without a doubt Bangladesh?s best all round cricketer and tonight he will be needed in both batting and with the ball.
Dolar Mahmud ? He has risen from nowhere to lead the bowling attack in just a short time and he would want to continue his form today.
The toss
Shakib wins the toss and has no hesitation about putting Sri Lanka in to bat. He says that today?s pitch looks good but with Sri Lanka?s long tail he hopes to take some early wickets and put the pressure on them. He expects that anything around 160 should be gettable later on.
Sangakarra is happy to bat first but he disagrees with 160. He hopes to get closer to 180 or 190, saying that Bangladesh seemed to approach things differently when a big score was on the cards.
Play ? Only T20 International
Sangakarra seemed to have a problem with being caught in the crease early on, and Mahmud looked to exploit this. He managed to hit the pads with his second ball, but the ball was sliding down the leg side anyway. Too make things worse, it went all the way for four leg byes. The next ball, Sangakarra got himself off the mark in a convincing fashion, smashing the ball past midwicket for a four.
He continued in the next over, pulling Aziz for a boundary through square leg. Aziz adjusted and bowled a little fuller, and Sangakarra was kept in check for the next two balls until he got a single to fine leg to get himself off strike.
Sangakarra was clearly the aggressor early on, and he continued with a pull between mid on and midwicket for another boundary in Mahmud?s second over.
Shakib swapped Aziz out of the attack and replaced him with Shahzada. That only caused Thirimanne to start scoring freely, hitting him for two boundaries in his over. Aziz switched ends but that did not matter to Sangakarra, who hit another four past square leg. Not even Shakib himself could restrain him as the Sri Lankan captain hit the last three balls of his first over for four each.
Sangakarra raced to fifty off of only 31 balls, but he lost Thirimanne with the score on 84 when the other opening batsman was out LBW to the arm ball from Mahmadullah. Alok Kapali then had the ever-dangerous Matthews out cheaply in the next over, caught behind for just 1.
Mahmadullah and Islam combined to produce the wicket of Sangakarra. Mahmadullah floated it up to him and he took the bait, trying to clip it through midwicket but he could only find Islam standing on the edge of the circle. He went for 55.
With two new men at the crease, the faster bowlers came on for a couple of overs but the added pace just saw the ball disappearing to the boundary faster than it came. The slower bowlers were the ones who had the task of keeping the batsmen in check.
That paid off for Mahmadullah, who took his third in the 18th over by getting Chandimal to hit one to deep backward point for 20.
Jayawardene was never a slogger, but he was always one to ensure that he kept his strike rate up with proper shots. Unfortunately for him a lot of those shots went straight to fielders, who attacked the ball as it came toward them and fired in lightning returns to the wicket.
There was not much else of interest in the innings. A lot of singles were taken as the ball kept finding the fielders. Occasionally Sri Lanka got one to the boundary. But none over it. At the end of the innings, Sri Lanka fell far short of the 180 they had set for themselves, but they still had a total that was more than competitive.
End of Sri Lanka innings ? 156/4(20), Sangakarra 55(37), Mahmadullah 3-21(4)
Bangladesh need 157 runs at 7.8 per over
Bangladesh had a total that was very chaseable on this pitch. In addition to that, the sun had set and the dew would come into play very soon. The spinners in particular would have some trouble gripping the ball and the fielders might have problems as well. But the dew would make the ball do some funny things before it reached the batsmen. Bangladesh needed to be careful against them.
That was exemplified when Tamim hit one straight to mid on in the first over. It was an inswinger that Tamim thought he could work into the on side but the ball did nothing after pitching and it took the leading edge and popped into the air. A soft dismissal.
Athukorala got another one with a swinging ball, this time bowling Mahmadullah for 3. Two wickets down for only 15 and Bangladesh were up against it. Bangladesh soon lost a third, Nafees falling LBW to Saman for 18.
Shakib and Nafees scored mostly in singles and by the halfway mark, the asking rate was above 10 an over. But they seemed to want to settle first before they started to attack more. That plan was ruined when Shakib was gone LBW to Mendis in the 12th over. Kayes was out the very next ball, trying to attack too hard from ball one but mistiming it horribly and providing catching practice to deep square leg.
Mendis was on a hat trick. But Kapali easily pushed his first ball into the onside for a single to avoid the embarrassment of the triple wicket.
Madusanka had the perfect chance to push Bangladesh even further behind when he was presented with a relatively straightforward catch off of his own bowling. The ball went straight in and out of his hands, however. He got his revenge off of the last ball when he bowled Kapali for only 1.
Islam had by this time provided the only resistance for Bangladesh, but he was LBW in Madusanka?s next over for 30 from 26. With him went Bangladesh?s hopes. Unless a miracle happened, the match was pretty much over.
Aziz provided some entertainment for a brief time, hitting two fours before he was stumped by Chandimal after advancing up the pitch looking for another one.
Bangladesh tried hard to up their scoring rate but it was just not enough and they fell 32 runs short at the end of the 20 overs.
End of Bangladesh innings ? 124/8(20), Islam 30(26), Mendis 3-27(4)
Sri Lanka win by 32 runs
Post-match, Shakib says that his team was unable to keep up with the required rate but he was still taking some positives away from this match and also the series. A lot of things had been achieved over the course of the past few weeks, and he hopes that Bangladesh saw it as another learning experience and moved on to get better in the future.
Sangakarra is happy to have won so convincingly and he says that winning was always great. He says that his team has been trying to perfect their bowling combination and using the information from this series, they would be better able to decide on a set lineup. He says that Bangladesh should be proud of their performances and expects that the next time the two teams meet, things looked like they would be a lot closer than in this series.
So that?s the series. I had a lot of fun playing it and writing it. I?ll be back with the World T20 soon enough. With scorecards too!
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