Bangladesh Women face huge defeat in first ODI

Sport Correspondent: Slow batting in chasing a 252-run target led Bangladesh National Women Cricket Team to a huge defeat in the first of a five-match One Day International series against touring South Africa National Women Cricket Team in Cox's Bazar Thursday.

 

The hosts were beaten by 86 runs at Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium.

 

The visitors scored 251 runs for 3 wickets after Bangladesh won toss and chose to bowl first. In reply, Bangladesh Women only managed to put 165 runs on the scoreboard for 6 wickets.

 

 

Protea openers Lizelle Lee and Andrie Steyn started batting well in the morning and made a 122-run partnership in the first wicket. Lee was caught by Panna Gosh off Nahida Akter in the 23rd over. She scored 87 runs off 71 balls hitting 6 fours and 7 sixes.

 

Steyn and Mignon du Preez added 79 runs in the second wicket partnership. Steyn scored 68 off 123 hitting only 2 fours.

 

Mignon and Marizanne Kapp then made another 37-run in the fourth wicket unbeaten partnership just off 25 balls.

 

 

Mignon was not out for 62 who faced 87 balls and hit 5 fours and Kapp added 20 not out off 13.

 

Bangladesh's Salma Khatun claimed 2 wickets for 30 in 4 overs while Nahida Akter got the other.

 

Chasing a giant total of 251, Bangladesh lost first wicket in the second over as opener Sharmin Akhter went for 2. Then the girls in green and red started very slow batting as Sanjida Islam and Fargana Hoque added only 22 runs off 9.3 overs  in the second wicket while Fargana and Rumana Ahmed 13 runs off 8.1 overs in the third wicket partnerships.

 

 
Sanjida played 33 balls to score 8 while Fargana took 53 balls for 12 runs. Salma Khatun then added 11 off 14.

 

However, Rumana and Nigar Sultana speeded up the batting and added 52 runs off 17.1 overs in the fifth wicket partnership while Nigar and Jahanara Alam 54 runs off 52 balls in the 7th wicket unbroken partnership which were not enough for chasing the huge total.

 

Skipper Ruman Ahmed scored 37 off 80 balls and smashed 3 fours and a six. Nigar was unbeaten on 59 off 90 with 7 fours and a six. Jahanara contributed 15 not out off 20.

 

South Africa's Sune Luus claimed 3 wickets for 52 while Dane van Niekerk 2 for 23.

 

 

Country's leading brand Walton is sponsoring the series which has officially been named as 'Walton Bangladesh-South Africa Women's ODI Cricket Series 2017'.

 

South Africa opener Lizelle Lee was awarded the Walton Player of the Match award for her outstanding batting. Walton Group's Assistant Director (Creative & Publication) Milton Ahmed handed over the prize to the Protea opener. 

 

The rest of the matches will be held at the same venue on 14, 16, 18 and 20th January.

 

risingbd/DHAKA/12 Jan 2017/Augustin Sujan