Youths off to a flier
Bangladesh made a strong start while fellow title contenders South Africa, New Zealand and Sri Lanka overcame stuttering beginnings to win their opening matches in cricket's ICC Under-19 World Cup yesterday.
Bangladesh had no worries as they cruised to an impressive 178-run victory over a hapless Bermuda.
The young Tigers piled up 260-8 after being sent into bat and then shot Bermuda out for 82 in 26.1 overs at the Bayueams Oval in the Malaysian capital.
Number four batsman Nasir Hossain top-scored with 84 off 94 balls, while Ashraful Hossain and Ashiqul Islam helped themselves to half-centuries.
Opener Mithun Ali fell early but his partner, Ashraful, steadied the innings with a patient 81-ball 51, and added 62 runs for the second wicket with Nadimuddin Mintu, who scored 11.
Bangladesh then lost three middle-order wickets for 20 runs only to find themselves in a discomfort zone at 130-5 before Nasir, the-16-year-old right-hander, lifted the innings.
He took apart the Bermudan bowlers, blasting 84 off 95 balls, aided by eight fours and a six. He found a perfect ally in plucky wicketkeeper-batsman Ashiqul and the two added 99 runs for the sixth wicket. Bangladesh then managed to pick up 31 runs off their last 19 deliveries, Islam scoring a bulk of those to remain unbeaten on a run-a-ball 69.
The pressure was on Bermuda as they began their chase when Terryn Fay was trapped by fast bowler Dollar Mahmud; four balls later, Greg Marbury was dismissed in the same manner by slinger Rubel Hossain. Captain Rodney Trott, whose 20 was Bermuda's highest score, and Chris Douglas took the score beyond fifty by the 12th over.
Bermuda then lost their last eight wickets for the addition of only 30 runs, the procession of wickets starting when Subhashish Roy put Douglas out of his misery.
They found it especially difficult to handle the left-arm spin of the Bangladesh captain, Suharwardi Shuvo, who took 3 for 9 in his seven overs. Offspinner Mahmudul Hassan also claimed three wickets.
Bangladesh will play their next Group B match against Ireland at the same venue tomorrow.
At the Kinrara Oval, South Africans collapsed to 179-7 by the 35th over, chasing the West Indies' 222-8, before the eighth-wicket pair of Rilee Rossouw and Roy Adams put on a match-winning stand of 44.
Rossouw returned unbeaten on 58 while Adams made 26 not out after West Indian captain Shamarh Brooks had rocked the middle order with 4-39 in a group B match.
The West Indian total revolved around half-centuries from opener Kieran Powell and Devon Thomas, who scored 53 apiece, and a brave 41 from Shacaya Thomas lower down the order.
Sri Lanka were aided in large part by an impressive all-round display by Sachith Pathirana to overcome spirited Nepal by 61 runs in a group C match in Penang.
Nepal were dismissed for 175 in the penultimate over chasing 237 for a win, their batsmen done in by the Sri Lankan spinners who shared seven wickets between them.
Left-arm spinner Pathirana finished with 3-31, off-spinner Umesh Karunarathna took 2-40 and another left-armer Navin Kavikara claimed 2-22.
New Zealand defeated Zimbabwe by 98 runs in a group A game in Johor after struggling early with the bat.
The Kiwis found themselves down to 39-3 before Corey Anderson rebuilt the innings with a superb 82. Greg Morgan was the next highest scorer with 27 in his team's total of 221-8.
Zimbabwe captain Prince Masvaure claimed 3-37 but he was overshadowed by Daniel Landman who took 2-41 and then played a lone hand of 51 in a poor reply of 123 all out.
SCORES IN BRIEF
Scores from the ICC Under-19 World Cup matches in Malaysia on Monday:
Group A
NEW ZEALAND: 221/8 in 50 overs (Anderson 82, Morgan 27; Masvaure 3-37, Landman 2-42)
ZIMBABWE: 123 all out in 42.4 overs (Landman 51, Southee 5-11)
Result: New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by 98 runs in Johor.
Group B
WEST INDIES: 222-8 in 50 overs (Powell 53, Thomas 53, Thomas 41; Parnell 3-37, Pienaar 3-36)
SOUTH AFRICA: 223-7 in 43.5 overs (Rossouw 58 not out, Adams 26 not out; Brooks 4-39)
Result: South Africa beat West Indies by three wickets in Kuala Lumpur.
Group C
SRI LANKA: 236-9 in 50 overs (Subasinghe 46, Pathirana 62, Perera 41; Bhattarai 4-42)
NEPAL: 175 all out in 48.5 overs (Pathirana 3-31, Karunarathna 2-40, Navin Kavikara 2-22)
Result: Sri Lanka beat Nepal by 61 runs in Penang.
Group D
BANGLADESH: 260-8 in 50 overs (Ashraful 51, Nasir 84, Ashiqul 69 not out; Jones 2-64)
BERMUDA: 82 all out in 26.1 overs (Shuvo 3-9, Hasan 3-12)
Result: Bangladesh beat Bermuda by 178 runs in Kuala Lumpur.
TUESDAY'S MATCHES
Group A: Pakistan v New Zealand
Group B: India v South Africa
Group C: Australia v Nepal
Group D: England v Bermuda
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