Williamson, Ferguson trump Tigers
There was no change in fortune as far as the Bangladesh cricket team was concerned. Whitewashed in the three-match ODI series, the Tigers started the New Year with a thumping six-wicket defeat at the hands of New Zealand in their opening T20I at Mclean Park in Napier yesterday.
It was not a lost opportunity. They were beaten fair and square in a game where they put up a below-par 141 for eight on a wicket true for batting. The Black Caps, after a top-order wobble, raced to 143 for four with two overs to spare. New Zealand captain Kane Williamson hit a fantastic unbeaten 73 off 55 balls that contained five fours and two sixes. He got perfect support from the other end in the match-winning unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 79 runs with Colin de Grandhomme, who hit an unbeaten 21-ball 41.
Bangladesh perhaps put a little bit of pressure when they reduced the home team to 64 for four defending that modest total. But with Williamson playing a captain's knock, the Tigers' bowling failed to make any further inroads and the only moment they sniffed a chance was when Shakib Al Hasan was bowling in the 14th over and Williamson pulled to the mid-wicket boundary. A catch was there for the taking but inexplicably Soumya Sarker, one of the better fielders, was standing well inside the rope. And by the time he backtracked, the ball sailed just over his head for a boundary.
At that time Williamson was on 43 and the Black Caps were 84 for four and needed just over seven runs per over. Had Soumya, who had yet another forgettable day with the bat, been in the proper position and taken the catch it could have opened a window of opportunity for Bangladesh.
But apart from that, the Tigers were always behind the eight ball. They reached a fighting total because of a fluent half-century from Mahmudullah Riyad.
The right-hander, who scored 0, 1 and 3 in the ODI leg of the tour, returned to his sublime self with a superb 52 as Bangladesh recovered from a shaky start to post a fighting total.
He treated the fans to some delightful strokes after Bangladesh were reduced to 30 for four in 5.1 overs. His 47-ball knock contained three fours and as many sixes including a magnificent one straight over the bowler's head and into the sightscreen.
Mahmudullah apart, Mosaddek Hossain scored a 17-ball 20 that contained two sixes. He also shared 36 runs for the sixth wicket with Mahmudullah after Shakib was dismissed for 14.
Bangladesh's innings never took off after captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza won the toss and decided to bat.
Imrul Kayes was first to go, playing a nothing shot for a duck in the second over with the score on four.
Sabbir Rahman showed his attacking intent from the first ball but got out to a full toss after scoring 16. Tamim's first signs of aggression turned into a tame catch at mid-wicket and Soumya Sarker was out to a peach of a delivery from Lockie Ferguson as Bangladesh lost three wickets for two runs including two of successive deliveries off Ferguson. Mahmudullah survived the hattrick delivery and took the score to some respectability.
Bangladesh will play their second T20I on January 6 at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.
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