Tigers roar past Ireland

Nafees eases Bangladesh to victory

By Joe Drabble   Last updated: 18th March 2008

mohammad ashraful Bangladesh 07

Ashraful: Led from the front

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Bangladesh drew first blood in the first of their three one-day internationals against Ireland with a comfortable eight-wicket win in Mirpur.

An unbroken century partnership between Tigers skipper Mohammed Ashraful (64) and opener Shariar Nafees (90) saw the hosts chase down the Irish target of 185 with 61 balls remaining.

Phil Simmons led his troops into the opening match of the series hoping to notch up a second successive ODI victory over the Tigers after their heroics at last year's World Cup.

Bangladesh had a point to prove themselves as they took to the field on the back of a whitewash Test and ODI series defeat to South Africa.

Ireland skipper Trent Johnston won the toss and chose to bat and give debutant Reinhardt Strydom an opportunity to shine as he opened up with William Porterfield.

Dominance

However, the tourists struggled to cope with the pace and accuracy of the recalled Mashrafe Mortaza who clearly had a point to prove following his axe from the starting one-day line-up against the Proteas.

Mortaza dismissed both openers inside 11 overs to leave Ireland reeling at 45-3 with wicketkeeper Niall O'Brien (15) also back in the pavilion.

Bangladesh maintained their dominance and any hopes of Ireland conjuring up a competitive score were dashed when Eoin Morgan (35) and Kevin O'Brien (20) were dismissed within five overs of each other to leave Ireland on 97-5 after 30 overs.

The lower order did offer some resistance and a stubborn partnership of 65 from Alex Cusack (38) and Andre Botha (22) set a platform for a final flourish.

Skipper Johnston led by example with an unbeaten 31 as Ireland set a competitive 185-7 - well restricted by Mortaza who finished with 3-22 off his 10 overs.

Clinical

The Tigers' response was clinical. The young opening pair of Nafees and Tamim Iqbal were quickly into their stride before the latter perished for 13 off the bowling of Dave Langford-Smith.

Nafees was in scintillating touch and quickly took a liking to the bowling of Langford-Smith and O'Brien with a flurry of boundaries either side of the wicket.

Johnston showed his invaluable worth to the beleaguered Irish as he capped a fine day with bat and ball by removing the dangerous Aftab Ahmed (11) after he was well caught by Strydom.

However, that was to be Ireland's final moment of joy as Ashraful and Nafees both went past 50 as Ireland's attack lacked any real potency.

Leg-spin bowler Greg Thompson also made his ODI debut for the tourists, and the 20-year-old bowled his first overs in international cricket, but his attempts were in vain as the Tigers roared home with 10 overs to spare.