Young Tigers complete whitewash
Bangladesh Under-19s completed a clean sweep against England Under-19s in their three-match one-day series, despite a fine hundred from Ben Charlesworth, as the home side cashed in on some solid team effort to win the third encounter by 63 runs at the Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium in Cox's Bazar yesterday.
Player-of-the-match Shamim Hossain scored an 87-ball 72, featuring five fours and three sixes, before using his off-spin to send back a few of England's top order batsmen for ducks. Fifties from Mahmudul Hasan (57 off 90 balls) and Shahadat Hossain (51 off 35) also greatly helped the young Tigers post a challenging total of 266 for nine.
In reply, England lost two quick wickets with the scoreboard reading 17 for two as Shamim removed opener Jordan Cox and one down Jamie Smith for duck. Charlesworth was firm at the other end but the visitors kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Bangladesh's Asadullah Galib was the pick of the bowlers, scalping four wickets for 17 runs in 4.3 overs but Rubel Ahmed and Towhid Hridoy, who joined the team after playing in the BPL for Sylhet Sixers, also made valuable contributions with two wickets each.
Charlesworth's 149-ball 115, which included ten fours and a six, was ultimately not good enough for his side to end the series with some solace, however, he could take comfort in the fact that this hundred earned him the player-of-the-series award.
Following their 1-0 T20 and 3-0 one-day series wins, the young Tigers will play the first match of the two-match four-day series from February 7 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.
SCORES IN BRIEF
BANGLADESH U-19S: 266 for 9 in 50 overs (Tanzid 23, Mahmudul 57, Shamim 72, Shahadat 51 not out, Rishad 22; Finch 2-48, Hill 3-37, Morley 2-46)
ENGLAND U-19S: 203 all out in 46.3 overs (Charlesworth 115, Goldsworthy 21, Hollman 30; Ruhel 2-40, Shamim 2-43, Towhid 2-31, Galib 4-17)
Result: Bangladesh Under-19s won by 63 runs.
Player-of-the-match: Shamim Hossain.
Player-of-the-series: Ben Charlesworth.