Sports
Bangladesh, Netherlands hope for batting boost in Kingstown
Netherlands will hunt for their first big fish (Full Members side) when they take on Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup‘s newest venue in Kingstown, St Vincent. It is a fresh pitch where competitive cricket hasn’t been played for a while now. Both sets of batters, battered and bruised in New York, will look forward to a better experience.
Bangladesh endured a hectic travel schedule after their South Africa game in New York, with their chartered flight out delayed by five hours. They arrived early Tuesday morning in their Kingstown hotel, and cancelled training on that day.
Coupled with the travel stress, Bangladesh are dealing with heartbreak of a close defeat to South Africa. Their inability to put away Keshav Maharaj’s full-tosses in the final over cost them the game. Bangladesh have had trouble closing off T20I chases over the last eight years, and on Monday, Mahmudullah and Jaker Ali, reputed big hitters, could not find a boundary in the last three overs of their chase.
Their top order batting has also been worrying. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto opened with Tanzid Hasan against South Africa, with Soumya Sarkar left out, but neither opening pair has managed a double-digit stand yet in this tournament. Litton Das showed a bit of form against Sri Lanka but gave it away cheaply against South Africa. Only Towhid Hridoy and Mahmudullah have shown batting form, while it has mostly been the bowling attack that has kept Bangladesh afloat.
Netherlands will have their hands full against Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Taskin Ahmed with the new ball, before Mustafizur Rahman and Rishad Hossain go at them in the middle overs. The pace trio has done well in the death overs too, and among the spin-bowling allrounders Mahmudullah has been mostly economical while Shakib Al Hasan, despite a poor start to the tournament, can never be counted out.
Netherlands themselves have bowled brilliantly in the T20 World Cup, beating Nepal in Dallas and pushing South Africa close in New York. Logan van Beek, Bas de Leede and Tim Pringle have bowled well in partnerships alongside Vivian Kingma and Paul van Meekeren.
Like Bangladesh, they too have batting problems. Max O’Dowd has made their only half-century so far, while the rest of the batters haven’t taken off, particularly Michael Levitt who was their form player leading up to the T20 World Cup.
This could be a tense scrap in Kingstown, with the result coming down to which bowling attack can better dominate on the day.
Taskin Ahmed has performed admirably as the attack leader. He has taken the big wickets of Heinrich Klaasen, Aiden Markram, Kusal Mendis and Dasun Shanaka in Bangladesh’s two games, while going at just 5.50 per over. It is still early days but if he can keep getting the ball to shape and maintain his overall fitness, Taskin could end as one of the top bowlers of the tournament.
Logan van Beek has already bowled arguably the ball of the tournament. His delivery to Reeza Hendricks in New York pitched on middle and off, squared up the batter, and flicked the off bail as van Beek flew into a celebratory run. He has been Netherlands’ best bowler in their two matches so far, picking up five wickets. Accuracy is van Beek’s hallmark, regardless of whether he is bowling with an upright or wobbly seam.
Bangladesh are still unsure about their top and lower middle order. Soumya Sarkar and Mahedi Hasan are among their batting options if they are looking for another change.
Bangladesh (probable): Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hosain Shanto (capt), Litton Das (wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan, Taskin Ahmed Mustafizur Rahman.
Barring last-minute injuries, Netherlands are likely to continue with the same XI.
Netherlands (probable): Michael Levitt, Max O’Dowd, Vikramjit Singh, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Bas de Leede, Scott Edwards (capt & wk), Teja Nidamanuru, Logan van Beek, Tim Pringle, Paul van Meekeren, Vivian Kingma.
[Cricinfo]
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by Rex Clementine
Sri Lanka were fighting hard to avoid the follow on when rain brought an early end to play on day three of the second Test against India, with the hosts on 265 for eight at SSC yesterday.
Sri Lanka still need a further 39 runs to avoid being asked to bat again, while India remain comfortably placed with a first innings lead of 238 runs.
Of the 98 overs scheduled for the day, only 80.4 were possible due to rain.
Sri Lanka were staring down the barrel at 173 for seven when wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella was dismissed for a third ball duck, leaving India eyeing the prospect of enforcing the follow on.
However, Sonal Dinusha added 57 runs for the eighth wicket with Keshara Nuwantha (18) to frustrate the tourists. India made the breakthrough after tea, but Dinusha found another able ally in fast bowler Lahiru Kumara, who batted for over an hour as the pair added an unbroken 35 runs for the ninth wicket.
The pitch was still good for batting, as Sri Lanka’s lower order showed with their stubborn resistance, and a little more application from the top order could have left the hosts in a far healthier position.
Dinusha, Sri Lanka’s standout performer in the first Test, continued to impress. The all-rounder had scored 100 and 84 last week in Galle and was rarely troubled yesterday, top scoring with an unbeaten 85 after coming in with the team in trouble.
Dinusha faced 137 balls during his knock and hit six fours and two sixes.
Sri Lanka, who resumed on their overnight score of eight for two, lost two wickets in the morning session before India made further inroads after lunch, picking up three more wickets.
Pasindu Sooriyabandara, who had replaced Dinesh Chandimal as a concussion substitute in the second innings of the Galle Test, was handed his Test cap in the lead up to the second Test in Colombo and marked the occasion with a fine 80.
Sooriyabandara looked organized and used nimble footwork to take on India’s spinners, striking nine fours during an impressive knock.
Prasidh Krishna was the pick of India’s bowlers, claiming three wickets. The fast bowler generated decent pace and troubled the batters with extra bounce.
India lead the two match series 1-0, having won the opening Test in Galle by 165 runs.
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