MCC firmly in control
Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) tightened grip on an inexperienced Dhaka Metropolitan Eleven at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
On the penultimate day of the four-dayers, the visitors thrived on a superb century from one-down Ben Smith and a patient 95 from opener Matthew Wood. After scoring 273 for three they declared their second innings 40 minutes after the tea break with an over-all lead of 368 runs.
In reply, the home side negotiated 19 overs to score 21 for no loss at stumps.
Resuming the day at eight for no loss, MCC lost their first wicket just before the lunch when opener Bill Athey edged medium pacer Ashfaque Ali to wicketkeeper Raju Parvez.
The former England Test cricketer scored 48 off 97 balls with the help of four boundaries.
After Athey's departure, Smith joined Wood to share 113 runs for the second wicket stand. The partnership came to an end when Wood, while on 95, was trapped leg before wicket by off-spinner Salauddin Ahmed. In his more than four hours stay at the crease, Wood faced 190 balls and hit twelve fours.
MCC lost another wicket shortly, but Smith and Will House then went on to share an unbroken 38-run partnership before the declaration came.
Smith, the right-handed Leicestershire batsman, was unbeaten on 101 while House on 11.
Smith reached his fifty in 94 minutes facing only 68 balls. He took another 52 balls to reach the three-figure mark. In his 118-ball knock, Smith smote a huge six and 10 fours.
Chasing a mammoth target of 369 in less than four sessions, the local lads began their innings on cautious note.
Opener Mahfuz was batting on 11 and Ashriq on 8.
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