Shakib shines in Tigers win

Bangladesh captain Shakib al Hasan (R) acknowledges the crowd after scoring his century against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on Tuesday.

Shakib Al Hasan starred with a delightfully aggressive ton in Bangladesh's second straight win in the five-match series against Zimbabwe. Tamim Iqbal laid the platform with a patient half-century before Shakib took over to charge Bangladesh to their highest ODI score. Zimbabwe tried gamely, courtesy fine half-centuries from Charles Coventry and Sean Williams, but the 321-run target proved beyond their reach.

Bangladesh's strategy was simple: keep a tight line and wait for the pressure of the steep target to start telling on the batsmen. And it worked. Coventry provided some momentum to the chase by counterattacking after the early wickets. There was a very skilful hit over extra-cover against Syed Rasel and couple of big sixes against the offspinner Naeem Islam but he fell, trying to keep pace with the required run rate.

Post Coventry's exit, Williams played a gem of a cameo, filled with improvisations, but he too became a victim of the run-rate. Sean, who notched up his highest ODI score, not only used his feet well against the spinners but also repeatedly put the reverse sweep to good effect to upset the rhythm of the bowlers. He ran hard between the wickets and kept picking singles and twos to keep the scorecard moving. Near the end of the chase, he took more risks, charging out to the seamers as well. He sashayed down the track and heaved Nazmul Hossain to the cowcorner and slapped him over covers but fell, failing to clear long-on. Elton Chigumbura biffed around in the end to raise hopes but could only succeed in reducing the margin of the loss.

Bangladesh's win was set up by their batsmen led by Shakib, who provided momentum with an imposing knock. Bangladesh were 108 for 1 in 25 overs but Shakib ensured that they finished strongly.

The feature of his innings was his skill in repeatedly picking the gaps: there were quite a few hits over extra cover, a few to the straight boundary and many swings to midwicket. He started carefully, dealing in singles and twos to reach 15, before breaking free with two pulled boundaries. The explosion started in the 38th over, bowled by the part-time spinner Williams, with Shakib, who was denied the services of a runner just prior to the over, swinging twice over midwicket boundary. He went on to crash Ray Price to the straight boundary before lifting Prosper Utseya over long-off and twice over extra-cover as he made full use of the batting Powerplay.

He was aided by some poor fielding and was dropped twice in the inner circle: when he was on 59, Stuart Matsikenyeri spilled a sitter at midwicket off an attempted reverse-sweep against Utseya and when he was on 71, Price dropped another off a top-edged paddle-sweep.

Shakib went on the rampage after the twin drops. He looted 19 runs, with the help of three boundaries that included a stunning six over long-off, off the 44th over bowled by Chamu Chibhabha. He brought up the hundred in 63 balls and celebrated it with a cheeky scoop shot off Ed Rainsford before he was run out going for the third run after Mushfiqur Rahim had slashed to deep point. Rahim sought to make amends for his mistake with some big hitting in the end to push Bangladesh well past 300.

The platform was laid earlier in the day by Tamim, who forged a more staid partnership with Zunaed Siddiqui at the top of the order. Only four fours came in the first fifteen overs and only one boundary was hit in the air. It not only reflected the intent of the batsmen but also the disciplined lines and length of the new-ball bowlers Elton Chigumbura and Rainsford. If there was to be any criticism, it has to be said that they perhaps strayed to the middle and leg line a touch too often against Tamim, which shows up in his wagon wheel: Tamim picked 48 runs on the on side.

For their part, the batsmen were absolutely focused on playing themselves in before going for their shots. Things were looking good when Siddiqui was run out. He pushed Utseya, who brought himself on in the 11th over, to the left of short midwicket, was caught in a yes-no situation with Tamim and couldn't get back to his crease in time. Tamim, himself, was run out soon in a comical fashion. He had missed to connect a leg-side delivery but was stranded in the middle due to a faulty call from Shakib and was easily run out by the keeper. However, it didn't prove to be a major set back as Shakib set the stadium ablaze with his power-hitting.

Tigers prey on the Lions - Ashraful Star of The Show

It couldn't have been any more emphatic for the Tigers. An eight-wicket victory to start the five-match series against Zimbabwe at their own backyard just lighted up the Grameenphone Cup at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo yesterday.

Carrying their form and confidence from the Caribbean and not distracted by the shock loss in the practice match, Bangladesh made a statement loud and clear, we are here to win.

And who is better to lead the way than their most successful batsman, Mohammad Ashraful? Once again he led Bangladesh to their victory with a magnificent unbeaten century, one that was full of class, temperament, cleverness and audacity.

Ashraful hammered a run-a-ball 103 as Bangladesh chased down a modest Zimbabwe total of 207 with a lavish 15.3 overs to spare. Ashraful, who struck a dozen boundaries and a couple of sixes, completed his third hundred by running down a ball to the third-man boundary. His bout with left-arm spinner Raymond Price was the highlight of an otherwise one-sided match. Understandably irked after being taunted by the bowler, Ashraful hit back by smashing a six followed by three successive fours in the 15th over that produced 19 runs.

It all started with Tamim Iqbal and Zunaed Siddiqui getting the innings off to a flyer on a pitch that lived up to its reputation as a belter. Tamim thrashed the second ball of the innings from Elton Chigumbura through point for four followed by a splendid straight drive for the same result. His opening partner Zunaed provided even harsher treatment to the other bowler, Chamu Chibhaba, spanking him for three boundaries in different directions. The bowler had the last laugh though, as Zunaed played one drive too many, this time going straight to the hands of Graeme Cremer at mid-off. Bangladesh had raced to 30 in four overs by then, 28 of those coming in boundaries and Zunaed contributing 21 off only 12 balls.

Zimbabwe skipper Prosper Utseya was quick to read the signs and brought himself on as early as the sixth over in a bid to stem the flow of runs. Ashraful was cautious to start, probably not in form as yet, left a few deliveries outside the off-stump and dealt with the spin carefully. But he was soon to join the act as he slashed two slightly wide deliveries from Utseya through point for back-to-back boundaries. Both batsmen were looking at ease with the bowling as they maintained a steady run-rate of six through the first two powerplays. Zimbabwe's most experienced bowler Price was taken to task by Ashraful as the spinner was dispensed to all parts of the ground including a huge six over long-on. Both the batsmen soon got to their fifties and started to milk in the boundaries without showing much respect to any of the bowlers. Utseya tried out all his options, but no one seemed to make any impact on the scoring rate as the Tigers raced towards the target. Tamim's late dismissal brought a few cheers from the crowd and a few smiles on the Zimbabwe players, but was too little to bring in any decisive turnaround for the home team. Ashraful inserted his total command over this benign attack and led the visitors to a most convincing victory, beating their bitter rivals by eight wickets and 15 overs left.

Earlier, having won the toss and electing to bowl first on a wicket with some grass that surely had some assistance for the pacemen early on. And the pacers didn't take long to reward their skipper.

Syed Rasel, the left arm seamer with very little pace, used the early moisture expertly and beat opener Hamilton Masakadza a couple of times before the batsman went after a wide ball only to nick it to keeper Mushfiqur Rahim. The other opener Mark Vermeulen, back after a long time in the wilderness, would go on to play a commanding knock.

Along with Rasel, other pacer Nazmul Hossain kept the batsmen quiet for most part, occasionally faltering in line and length and being duly punished for. The second wicket to fall was Chibhaba having scored only 7 runs. Nazmul bowled a back of a length delivery outside off-stump, and the batsman got a thin edge to the keeper with the score on 25.

It was in the 13th over that spin was introduced as captain Shakib Al Hasan brought himself into the attack and immediately made some impact as he had a loud appeal against Vermeulen for lbw only to be tuned down by the umpire. Enamul Haque was brought in at the other end.
Shakib was unlucky again a few overs later as Vermeulen swung one high over midwicket but the fielder (Nazmul) under that one, having all the time in the world, spilled it in the end. That proved to be a costly mistake. Shakib however got the reward for his consistent line and length when he trapped Brendan Taylor in front of the wicket. The batsman might consider himself a bit unlucky as replays showed that he got a thin inside edge as he defended, and he had got a massive stride in as well.

Vermeulen, at the other end, was batting quite comfortably, no sign of rustiness from his long absence from international cricket. He milked deliveries on all parts and hit boundaries occasionally as he reached his 50 off just 73 deliveries.

Chris Coventry came in and was looking ominous as he hit a boundary and a six off to race off to 19 before Shakib made a surprising change to bring on Ashraful who with his very first delivery lured the batsman to play a big shot towards mid-wicket, but he top-edged it and Mahmudullah took a well-judged catch just within the rope.

The later batsmen came in and played a few lusty blows but eventually were skittled by Nazmul who outshone others taking three wickets for 29 in 6.5 overs. Once looking good for a 230-plus score, the Zimbabweans tottered to the modest total before being all out in the 48th over.

Tigers depart for Zimbabwe

Chief communication officer of Grameenphone Rubaba Dowla holds the Grameenphone Cup, which will be presented to the winners of the five-match one-day series between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. Grameephone is the title sponsor of the series starting in Harare on August 9.

After a historic triumph the Bangladesh cricket team was scheduled to leave the Caribbean yesterday for Zimbabwe to play a five-match one-day series entitled the "Grameenphone Cup". It would be a long journey for Shakib Al Hasan's men who will reach Zimbabwe via London and Dubai on August 6. The first match of the five-match series will take place at the Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo on August 9.

Left-arm spinner Enamul Haque -- who was named as the replacement of injured Abdur Razzak, BCB's director Gazi Ashraf Hossain -- who accompanies the team as a head of the team management during the tour, and selector Akram Khan will join the team in Dubai tomorrow.

It will be a huge challenge for the Tigers to carry on their good showing in the Caribbean as they whitewashed the weakened home team both in the three-match one-day and two-match Test series.

Bangladesh finished their month-long trip with a five-wicket defeat in the lone T20 international at Warner Park, St Kitts on Sunday but it was a memorable trip for the Tigers as for the first time they won the Test and one-day series against a major cricket nation.

World's number one all-rounder in one-day rankings Shakib led the team from the front in the absence of regular skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, who has been ruled out of the tour due to a knee injury, and he will also lead the team in the five-match series in Zimbabwe.

One of the leading cellular companies in the country, Grameenphone, is the first Bangladeshi company to sponsor an overseas cricket series. This was announced at a press conference at the Grameenphone head office in Gulshan yesterday.

Rubaba Dowla, chief communications officer of Grameenphone and Ferdousur Rahman, AGM, market communication, were present at the press conference. The sponsorship is valued at around BDT 5 million and includes full title rights, prize money and rights to branding the stadium, and other communications and Grameenphone will also provide the Man-of-the-Match and the Man-of-the-Series prizes.

All matches will be held at the Queens Sports Club.