Sports Reporter :
The Tigers lost the Kiwis by 44 runs, according to the Duckworth- Lewis-Stern Method in their first One Day International (ODI) match at the University Oval in Dunedin of New Zealand on Sunday.
Sent into bat first, New Zealand piled up a mammoth total of 239 for the loss of seven wickets in the allotted 30 overs (20 overs were curtailed due to rain).
Later, Bangladesh had a target of 245 runs to win in 30 overs. Bangladesh scored 200 runs for the loss of nine wickets in 30 overs.
Bangladesh had a sorrow start as opener Soumya Sarkar (0) was caught at the second slip by Tom Latham off Adam Milne when Bangladesh’s total was just one. Opener Anamul Haque and one-down Najmul Hossain Shanto repaired the damage contributing together 46 runs for the second wicket partnership before Shanto (15) was bowled out by Ish Sodhi when the visitors’ total was 47 for the loss of two wickets.
After Shanto’s dismissal, Anamul Haque and second-down Litton Das added together 33 runs in the third wicket stand before Anamul was caught & bowled by Josh Clarkson when the Tigers’ score was 80 for the loss of three wickets. Anamul hit a polished 43. His 39-ball innings had five fours. Third-down Towhid Hridoy and fifth-down Mehidy Hasan Miraz built a notable partnership scoring together 56 runs in the six-wicket stand before Hridoy was caught at the deep backward square leg by Adam Milne off Ish Sodhi when tourists’ total was 159 for the loss of six wickets.
Hridoy made 33 from 27 balls featuring two fours and a sixer.
Afif Hossain scored 38 from 28 deliveries including five fours and a six.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz remained unbeaten with 28. He hit two sixes and one four in his 21-ball knock.
Josh Clarkson, Ish Sodhi and Adam Milne bagged two wickets each giving 24, 35 and 46 runs respectively.
Later, left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam gave his team early breakthrough as opener Rachin Ravindra (0) was caught behind by Mushfiqur Rahim off the left-arm pacer when the Kiwis’ score was 5.
Shoriful Islam struck again as one-down Henry Nicholls (0) was caught at the second slip by Anamul Haque off the left-arm pacer when the hosts’ total was five for the loss of two wickets.
Opener Will Young and second-down Tom Latham rescued their team from debacle scoring together 171 runs for the third wicket partnership before Latham was bowled out by Mehidy Hasan Miraz when the home side’s score was 176 for the loss of three wickets.
Will Young cracked a terrific 105. His 84-ball innings was ornamented with four sixes and 14 fours. Will Young was adjudged the Man of the Match for his outstanding innings.
Tom Latham hit a captain’s knock of 92. His 77-ball innings was decorated nine fours and three sixes.
After Latham’s departure, Will Young and Mark Chapman added together 54 runs in the fourth wicket stand before Chapman (20) was run out by a joint-effort of Afif Hossain and Mehidy Hasan Miraz when New Zealand’s total was 230 for the loss of four wickets.
Shoriful Islam picked up two wickets in the space of 28 runs, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz took one wicket conceding 53 runs.
