PRAN-RFL Triangular seriesZimbabwe-SouthAfrica-Bangladesh

Tigers lessen the blow

19 June 2012, 18:00 PM

Sports Reporter

Bangladesh trod an expected path when they lost to South Africa by 39 runs in the Twenty20 triangular series at the Harare Sports Club yesterday. But a handful of the batsmen made sure the afternoon wasn't wasted by staring at defeat. Facing inevitable defeat after Hashim Amla helped his side and himself to 209-3 in 20 overs, the Tigers lessened the margin of defeat by reaching Twenty20 modesty with the bat, ending up on 170-8. While the ten-plus run-rate reflected the bowlers' nightmare, skipper Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad and Mohammad Ashraful batted like they meant business. The 23-year-old skipper remained unbeaten on exactly fifty runs, smashing five boundaries and a flat-bat six over mid-wicket during his 32-ball knock. He shared a 61-run fifth wicket stand with deputy Riyad, who made 34 off 23 balls with the help of two boundaries and two sixes. The pair took the score past the 100-mark in the 14th over bowled by Albie Morkel, which generated 17 runs (Riyad hammering a six over mid-wicket and a boundary), the most productive of the Bangladesh innings. Ashraful too batted freely with a striking shot or two; they often prop up in his short performances, this one ending for 33 runs off 31 balls with the help of four boundaries. The later part of the afternoon's cricket belonged to the Bangladesh captain who took full toll of a dropped chance at square-leg by the hapless Wayne Parnell, the left-arm speedster who conceded a whopping 61 from four overs. But the day belonged to Mushfiqur's opposite number, who smote three sixes and nine boundaries in his 53-ball 88; two of those maximums were beautifully timed by one of the leading batsmen in world cricket. Amla didn't go after the bowling when the innings started, which was Richard Levi's prerogative. The meaty blows kept coming as they raced to 70 in the seventh over before Levi skied Ziaur Rahman after making 37 off 21 balls. Colin Ingram and Morkel batted to type before Jean-Paul Duminy provided the finishing thrust with a blazing seven-ball 23. Bangladesh take on Zimbabwe tomorrow while the hosts play South Africa today, all at the same venue. SCORES IN BRIEF SOUTH AFRICA: 209-3 in 20 overs (Levi 37, Amla 88 not out, Ingram 29, Morkel 22, Duminy 23 not out; Mashrafe 1-44, Razzak 0-28, Hasan 0-58, Elias 0-31, Ziaur 1-28, Riyad 0-17). BANGLADESH: 170-8 in 20 overs (Anamul 1, Ashraful 33, Jahurul 12, Mushfiqur 50 not out, Nasir 0, Riyad 34, Ziaur 18, Mashrafe 8, Hasan 1, Sunny 0 not out; Peterson 2-16, Tsotsobe 1-25, de Lange 2-33, Morkel 1-28, Parnel 0-61, Duminy 0-6). Result: South Africa won by 39 runs. Man-of-the-match: Hashim Amla.