Rusty batsmen again make easy prey for hungry pacers
The difference between an intra-squad practice game and a competitive match was witnessed yet again as the cricketers were still shedding the rust for a second consecutive day of the three-team BCB President's Cup as Mahmudullah XI took on Tamim XI.
With batsmen yet to get into their groove in their first taste of competitive cricket in seven months, the pacers continued to shine brightest in the fifty-over tournament.
In the first game between Mahmudullah XI and Najmul XI, fast bowlers were instrumental. So much so that Mahmudullah XI folded for just 196 as Najmul XI's pace trio of Taskin Ahmed, Al Amin Hossain and Mukidul Islam picked up two wickets each.
Taskin looked especially solid alongside Ebadot, both pacers managing to get extract pace and bounce from a sporting Mirpur pitch which offered even bounce and swing. Meanwhile, after impressing during last year's T20 Bangladesh Premier League for Rangpur Rangers, young Mukidul again displayed good bowling.
Ebadot had been the brightest spot for Mahmudullah XI, the tall right-arm pacer bagging three early wickets, but it was always going to be difficult for the bowling side to defend such a small total.
Similar to the first game, overcast conditions yesterday favoured the pacers and Mahmudullah XI's Rubel Hossain and Sumon Khan made full use to flatten Tamim XI's batting line-up.
Rubel impressed with pace and swing and trapped ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal leg before with a gem of a delivery that shaped into the left hander.
The experienced pacer then toiled to get purchase from the pitch and dismissed young Tanzid Hasan Tamim -- who looked solid for his 27 runs -- and Mohammad Mithun in the same over to leave Tamim XI struggling at 42 for three.
It was then that young Sumon came onto the scene to pose challenging questions with his pace and bounce. The 20-year-old dismissed a the well-set Anamul Haque before removing Shahadat Hossain and Mosaddek Hossain in quick succession.
Failing to negotiate the right-arm pacer, Tamim XI crashed 68 for six and were unable to mount a comeback. They eventually folded for 103 runs inside 23.1 overs in a game that had been curtailed to 47-overs-per-side due to a rain delay.
Fascinatingly, Tamim XI made a game of it and Mahmudullah XI faced the music from more pacers, namely Mohammad Saifuddin and Mustafizur Rahman -- who rattled through the top order and left Mahmudullah XI reeling on naught for three.
Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo stated previously that the team management was looking to build a group of seven to eight fast bowlers who would be able to serve the team in all formats at home and away.
Although the rust was more evident on batsmen, they could also be blamed for not being able to spend enough time at the crease, while those that got starts could also be faulted for throwing their wickets away when they needed to score big.
SCORES IN BRIEF
Tamim XI: 103 all out in 23.1 overs (Tanzid 27, Anamul 25; Rubel 3-16, Sumon 3-31, Mehedi Miraz 2-2, Aminul Islam 2-17)
Mahmudullah XI: 106 for 5 in 27 overs (Mominul 39, Nurul Hasan 41 not out, Mahmudullah 10; Saifuddin 2-8, Tajiul 2-27, Mustafizur 1-14)
Result: Mahmudullah XI won by 5 wickets.