The Hindu : Sport : Bangladesh sets challenging target

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Sunday, Apr 08, 2007
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Bangladesh sets challenging target

GEORGETOWN: Mohammad Ashraful cracked a stylish 87 from 83 balls to help Bangladesh post its highest World Cup total of 251 for eight in the Super Eight match against South Africa on Saturday.

Bangladesh, without a win in the Super Eight unlike world number one-ranked South Africa, which is seeking a third straight victory, fought back after being 84 for four. Ashraful scored 12 fours in an exciting and often improvised knock which gave his side a serious target to defend following a late-innings flurry.

PRODUCTIVE SHOT: Ashraful played this unusual shot to good effect against South Africa.

Pace bowler Andre Nel marked his first match in three weeks with career-best figures of five for 45 after Bangladesh, put in to bat, had blunted the threat of opening pair Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini.

Ashraful, aged 22, reached his half-century with a lofted drive for four off Ntini. Next ball he played a bizarre leg glance for another four after stepping a yard outside off stump.

He completed an expensive 44th over by cutting Ntini for a third boundary, as 15 came off it. Ntini conceded 28 runs from his last two overs. Bangladesh scored 80 from the last 10 overs. Herschelle Gibbs, meantime, went off the field with a left calf strain and the team's media manager Gordon Templeton said he would only bat if required. — Reuters, AP

UPDATE

South Africa was 63 for two in 15.4 overs.

SCOREBOARD

Bangladesh: J. Omar c Smith b 17, T. Iqbal c Boucher b Nel H. Bashar c & b Nel 5, S. Hasan c Smith b Kallis 9, M. Ashraful Langeveldt b Nel 87, A. Ahmed c b Ntini 35, M. Rahim (run out) M. Mortaza b Nel 25, M. Ra- fique (not out) 3, A. Razzaq (not out) 2; Extras: (lb-7, w-12, nb-5) 24; Total: (for 8 wickets in 50 overs) 251.

Fall of wickets: 1-42, 2-59, 3-69, 4-84, 5-160, 6-179, 7-233, 8-248.

South Africa bowling: Pollock 10-1-25-0, Ntini 10-1-61-1, Nel 10-1-45-5, Langeveldt 10-0- 57-0, Kallis 6-0-27-1, Smith 3-0- 16-0, Kemp 1-0-13-0.

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