Bangladesh salvage a draw
 

BY SA'ADI Thawfeeq

INSPIRED batting by Mohammad Ashraful and Aftab Ahmed, two of Bangladesh's reliable batsmen who made a half-century apiece helped salvage a draw against a Sri Lanka Cricket Development XI in the 3-day practice match played at the Colombo Colts grounds yesterday.

It was a result, which would have done much to bolster Bangladesh's confidence ahead of the two-Test series against Sri Lanka starting Monday week at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

Dismissed for a disappointing 195 in the first innings, Bangladesh scored 273 for six wickets in their second innings before the match was called off after two mandatory overs. The Sri Lanka Cricket Development XI made 412 in their first innings.

However at one stage of the morning session a draw looked the least likely result when Bangladesh slumped from their overnight total of 31-1 to 92-4. But Ashraful and Ahmed took up the challenge and on a pitch, which had turned out to be a perfect batting strip helped restore Bangladesh's pride.

The pair came together 14 minutes before the lunch break and were not parted until 21 minutes before tea when Ashraful in sight of a deserving century lost his cool and was stumped attempting to hit part time bowler Kandamby over the top.

The 21-year-old right-hander showed great reserves of concentration to bat for two minutes under three hours for a well-compiled 87 off 150 balls. He hit a six and 11 fours, one of with which he reached his half-century off 91 balls.

With the 19-year-old Ahmed who made a well-struck 67, Ashraful added 123 for the fifth wicket in 108 minutes. Ahmed who reached his half-century in grand style with a pulled six over midwicket also had seven fours in his 123-ball knock.

What was most rewarding from this partnership was that neither batsman offered a single chance during their 189-ball liaison.

They ensured that the home team batted again by erasing off the first innings deficit of 217 runs with only half the side out. SLC Development XI skipper Tilan Samaraweera tried as many as eight bowlers to dislodge the pair, which was responsible for Bangladesh drawing the match.

Although Ahmed was dismissed soon after tea, Thushar Imran and Khaled Mashud, the former captain and wicket-keeper batted out time occupying the crease for 52 minutes adding 29 runs in an unfinished partnership to frustrate the local team's effort of pulling off a victory.

Ashraful said after the match that he was very pleased to get runs yesterday after having a lean run in the one-day series.

"Even though we were 92-4 I was confident that as long as I was at the wicket we could still draw the match. Although I don't put pressure on myself when I go out to bat, I know that the team expects a lot from me," said Ashraful.

"I thought to myself if I can get runs in England, why not here. After all I scored my maiden Test century in Sri Lanka," he said.

It was at the SSC Grounds four years ago that Ashraful then only 17 announced to the world that he had arrived by scoring a century on Test debut and became the youngest to do so in the history of the game.

Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar said the good thing to come out of this match was his side scored runs in tough conditions.

"It was good to see the guys respond very well and bat under pressure especially when things got tough. We need some runs from the top order. What I want from them is not 30s, 40s and 50s but big centuries," said Bashar.

BANGLADESH - 1ST INNINGS 195
SRI LANKA CRICKET DEVELOPMENT XI - 1ST INNINGS 412
BANGLADESH - 2ND INNINGS
(overnight 31-1)
Javed Omar b Lakshitha				14
Nafees Iqbal lbw b Wijekoon			 5
Manjural Islam c Mendis b Waruna		22
Shariar Nafees lbw b Wijekoon			 7
Mohammed Ashraful st De Silva b Kandamby	87
Aftab Ahmed c Mendis b Rupasinghe		67
Thushar Imran not out				23	
Khaled Mashud not out				14
Extras (b-5, lb-2, nb-18, w-9)			34  
TOTAL (6 wkts at stumps, 87 overs, 340 mins)	273 
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-27, 2-37, 3-47, 4-92, 5-215, 6-244. 
BOWLING: Lakshitha 16-3-60-1 (6w, 3nb), 
Waruna 20-1-76-1 (12nb),
 Wijekoon 15-4-24-2 (1w), Mendis 5-2-8-0 (1w), 
Rupasinghe 16-2-61-1 (1w, 1nb), 
 Kandamby 5-0-17-1 (1nb), Samaraweera 7-3-7-0 (1nb), 
 Gajanayake 3-0-13-0.

Injuries continue to plague Bangladesh

INJURIES continued to plague the touring Bangladesh cricketers when all-rounder Tapash Baisya was forced to return home from the Sri Lanka tour, just three days before the start of the first Test.

Baisya suffered a recurrence of an injury in his right ankle during the drawn 3-day practice match against a Sri Lanka Cricket Development XI at the Colombo Colts grounds yesterday.

He is the latest casualty in an ever-increasing list. On Thursday, fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza was ruled out of the tour suffering from a hip injury. Talha Jubair is replacing him. No decision has been taken yet on a replacement for Baisya.