da lvbet： Shahriar Nafees scored an unbeaten 105 as Bangladesh recorded an easy nine-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the first ODI at Khulna on Thursday
The Bulletin by Kanishkaa Balachandran30-Nov-2006Bangladesh 186 for 1 (Nafees 105*, Aftab 60*) beat Zimbabwe 184 for 9 (Taylor 38, Razzak 4-33) by 9 wickets
Scorecard
Shahriaf Nafees’s third consecutive hundred against Zimbabwe was a winning effort © AFP
Shahriar Nafees scored an unbeaten 105 as Bangladesh recorded an easy nine-wicketwin over Zimbabwe in the first ODI at Khulna on Thursday. Nafees’s century, histhird consecutive ton against Zimbabwe, was part of a sound all-round performance byBangladesh; earlier, their left-arm spin trio of Abdur Razzak, Mohammad Rafique and Saqibul Hasan restricted Zimbabwe to 184 for 9.Though Zimbabwe had enough spinners in their ranks to put pressure on theopposition on a slow surface, they paid the price for an overly defensiveapproach, often allowing the batsmen to pick the gaps during the middleovers. Nafees and Aftab Ahmed, both flamboyant players, were allowed toplay their natural game, leading to the familiar story of Nafees – who came intothis match with a Bradmanesque-average of 92.75 in six matches – tormenting theZimbabweans.After a quiet start, Nafees cut loose in theeighth over, fetching three fours off Anthony Ireland. The first, a widedelivery, was smashed past point, followed by a delicate flickdown fine leg. The third was by far the best of the match, effortlesslydriven past mid-on and accompanied by a perfect follow-through that highlightedNafees’s form. His opening partner, Mehrab Hossain, complemented him with a sedate13 in a stand of 72 before handing a low catch to SeanWilliams. Nafees did the bulk of the scoring, rocking back and slapping the spinnerspast the infield, and even scooping seamer Elton Chigumbura over midwicket for asix.Aftab, who came in next, was at his aggressive best, though his start wasn’tas convincing; he played a few streaky strokes, at one stage nearly spooning acatch to the close-in fielders. But he soon came into his own, chargingRyan Higgins for a six over long on and launching Chigumbura over deep cover, stepping down the track against a deliveryjust short of a good length. Nafees ensured that he stayed at the wicket,pulling the odd loose ball from the spinners and picking up the singles.He reached his ton with a single to deep point while his side was on the brink ofvictory.The win was fashioned by Bangladesh’s three-pronged left-arm spin attack,who shared eight wickets. The attack may have lacked variety,but their relentless stump-to-stump line restricted Zimbabwe to a modest184, undoing a breezy opening stand of 52 between Brendan Taylor andStuart Matsikenyeri, who looked at ease against the seamers.The introduction of the spinners pegged Zimbabwe back almost immediately,as Razzak struck in his first over. Matsikenyeri was bowled trying to cutand Williams fell soon after to Rafique, bowled trying to drive onthe off side. At that stage, Zimbabwe were still in a fairly decentposition, scoring at a rate of over four an over. But with spinnersoperating from both ends on a sluggish surface, the rate started to dip.Taylor and Hamilton Masakadza perished trying to push the scoring, bothhitting straight down the throat of long off. Rafique, who accounted for Taylor, picked up his 100th wicket in one-dayers. The middle order caved in asthe batsmen struggled to find the gaps against the left-armers who peggedaway on a restrictive line. With half their side gone with only 100 onboard, Chigumbura and Mluleki Nkala consolidated by adding 43. Fast bowlerShahadat Hossain, brought back in the slog overs, broke through asChigumbura missed a wild swing on the on side.Razzak was by far the most effective among the bowlers, cleverly teasingthe batsmen with his flight – which he used very effectively to claim thelast three wickets. Nkala stepped down the track but failed to get to thepitch of the ball, miscuing it to Mashrafe Mortaza, who held on to adifficult running catch at cover while Gary Brent was cleaned up for aquick 20, trying to hit across the line. Prosper Utseya wasted no time indispatching Razzak over the ropes in the penultimate ball of the inningsbut Razzak came back to claim his wicket off the last, pitching it shortof a length, beating Utseya who was neatly stumped by Mashud. Razzakfinished with figures of 4 for 33, tormenting Zimbabwe for the second time, following his parsimonious spell of 3 for 17 in four overs in the Twenty20 international at the same venue on Tuesday.