Bangladesh batters South Africa with 67 run win
By Roger Persaud
Stabroek News
April 8, 2007
Bangladesh's Mohammad Ashraful (right) plays Andrew Nel off the leg on his way to being adjudged Man of the Match after his team's 67-run surprise victory over South Africa at the National Stadium, Providence yesterday. Ashraful made 87. (Aubrey Crawford
Bangladesh demonstrated that their win over India in the group stage was no fluke with a 67 run win over South Africa, the team rated number one in the world, in the penultimate Super Eight game at the Providence stadium yesterday.
Sent in to bat after losing the toss Bangladesh scored 251-8 in 50 overs led by a magnificent 87 from man-of-the-match Mohammed Ashraful, the Tigers then befuddled the Saffies with their left arm spinners and two medium pacers bowling out South Africa for 184 all out in 48.4 overs.
Ashraful was a delight to behold with a supple wrist, nimble footwork and deft touch he took on the best the South Africans had to offer playing wonderful orthodox shots and improvising with the scoop shot successfully until it brought his demise in the last over of the innings.
Chasing the challenging total was never easy for the South Africans, skipper Graeme Smith was bowled by left arm fast medium pacer Syed Rasel for 12 with the score on 18.
Jacques Kallis and AB de Villers enjoyed the largest partnership of the South African innings, 45 for the second wicket, before Kallis in a slightly more aggressive mood than his last innings mistimed a drive off Rasel and was caught by Tamim Iqubal for 36 ball 32 (5x4) De Villers never seemed comfortable once the spinners were introduced, he was deceived trying to cut a Razak arm ball which displaced his middle stump after he had scored 15 with the score on 64.
Ashwell Prince was run out for 1, then Mark Boucher hit Saqibul Hasan for a six over extra cover then was beaten in flight by the next delivery and Rasel took a good catch to dismiss him for 12. At 87-5, South Africa were in real trouble of losing the match.
With the next delivery Hasan made the situation much worse when he dived between the legs of Prince now on as a runner for the injured Gibbs to take an excellent return catch to dismiss the dangerous Justin Kemp for seven.
Shaun Pollock joined Gibbs and they equalled the earlier partnership of 45 but it was too little too late and when Pollock was brilliantly run out by a direct hit from Tamim it was all over bar the shouting. The rest of the team folded for 184 all out in 48.4 overs. Left arm spinner Abdul Razzak with 3-25 was the pick of the Bangladesh bowlers while Saqibul Hasan also a left arm spinner grabbed 2-49. Earlier Ashraful played a gem of an innings scoring 87 in 83 balls seasoned with 12 boundaries leading Bangladesh to 251-8 after being sent in to bat by South Africa.
Andre Nel in his first match of the tournament grabbed 5-45 to lead the South African bowling attack.
Openers Javed Omar and Tamim Iqbal, provided a good start for the Tigers putting on 42 before Omar cut a short ball from Nel hard, but Smith at backward point, took a good catch to remove him for 17.
Tamim who was playing shots all around the wicket was joined by his skipper Habibul Bashar, the pair saw Bangladesh past 50 in 15.5 overs. Two overs later Bashar was brilliantly caught and bowled by Nel. Tamim then tried to hook Nel got a top edge that flew over Boucher's head for four, he charged the next delivery, and feathered a catch, which Boucher accepted, his 38 runs were scored in 59 balls and contained six fours.
Giving a hint of things to come, Ashraful batting at number five was greeted with a leg stump full toss which he promptly dispatched for four.
Bangladesh was managing their innings well after 20 overs the score was 73-3.
Saqibul Hasan then cut a short ball from Kallis high to Smith at point after scoring nine with the score on 84.
Aftab Ahmed joined Ashraful and their partnership of 76 set the tone for the rest of the innings, Ashraful was starting to cut loose, he slammed two consecutive fours off Kallis in the 30th over. South Africa were set back when star fielder Herschel Gibbs strained a left calf muscle and had to leave the field.
Ahmed lifted Justin Kemp over square leg for six then two balls later hit a six over midwicket into the stand.
On 35 and looking set Ahmed tried the aerial route once more and Nel at deep cover took a good low catch.
Musfiqur Rahim scored six before being run out off the last ball of the 43rd over by a brilliant piece of fielding by Kemp.
Mashrafe Mortaza joined Ashraful just when they needed to step up the scoring pace; Mortaza lifted Ntini over his head for six and on drove the next ball, the last of his spell for four. The pair took the fight to the South African bowlers taking 58 runs off the next four overs.
Moraza was bowled by Nel for a 16 ball 25 including three fours and a six.
Ashraful had been creative with the scoop shot taking l delivery that were pitched up outside the off stump for four behind square, that would be his demise however as he tried one too many and was caught by Langeveldt at deep backward square off Nel for a magnificent 87. In this fantastic victory, the so called minnows completely out played the number one team in the world.
Bangladesh with two points from this game will now meet England in Barbados on Wednesday, while South Africa will travel to Grenada to battle the West Indies on Tuesday.