Bangladesh ‘A’, led by Nurul Hasan Sohan, lost to New Zealand ‘A’ by 70 runs in the first four-day match.
At the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Bangladesh ‘A’ had a chance to save the match by simply surviving the final three overs of the day. However, despite the straightforward task, they lost 3 wickets in those last 3 overs and succumbed to a heartbreaking defeat. Left-arm spinner Hasan Murad was dismissed after scoring 7 runs off 41 balls. Injured opener Anamul Haque Bijoy came out to bat to try and save the match but lasted only two deliveries. Then pacer Ebadot Hossain quickly followed him back to the pavilion. From 170/6, the team collapsed to 170/9 in no time. Finally, the innings ended at 175 when Khaled Ahmed was dismissed, sealing a heavy loss for the Bangladesh side.
Earlier, Bangladesh ‘A’ won the toss and opted to bowl, bundling out New Zealand ‘A’ for 256 in the first innings. Mitchell Hay scored 81 runs for the visitors, while Khaled Ahmed picked up 6 wickets for Bangladesh.
In reply, Bangladesh ‘A’ posted 268 runs in their first innings, with captain Nurul Hasan playing a blistering knock of 107 off 88 balls. Despite his century, the team managed only a slender 12-run lead.
In their second innings, New Zealand ‘A’ scored 257 runs. Nick Kelly, batting at number three, played a superb knock of 122 off 207 balls, and opener Joe Carter added 57. For Bangladesh, Hasan Murad took 5 wickets, while Nayeem Hasan claimed 4.
Chasing a target of 246 runs, Bangladesh ‘A’ struggled from the beginning. Though Mahidul Islam Ankon (57*) and Zakir Hasan (50) scored fighting fifties, their efforts weren’t enough to avoid defeat. Indian-origin spinner Adithya Ashok was the star for New Zealand, taking 5 crucial wickets and dismantling the Bangladesh batting line-up.
The second four-day match between the two sides will begin on May 21 in Mirpur.
