Zimbabwe wins the one-day series

Zimbabwe won the one-day series today at BNS defeating Bangladesh by a fair margin of 42 runs in a high scoring match. The visitors won the toss and sent their opponents to field first.

The decision to bat first in a dry wicket like that in BNS was a very wise decision and Zimbabweans took full advantage of it. After an early loss of Grant Flower clean bowled by Manjurul Islam, Carlisle and Dion Ebrahim built a partnership of 108 runs in the second wicket. The sloppy fielding by Bangladeshis allowed them plenty of gaps to score runs frequently.

Carlisle departed managing 44 runs before he was run out. The crowd at BNS was utterly jubilant to watch Andy Flower leaving the crease with just 10 runs in his bag. Khaled Mahmud grabbed his wicket assisted by Al-Sahariar who took the catch.

But that did not stop the flow of runs as Craig Wishart and Ebrahim were running the run-feast with quite ease. Wishart played his natural knock, a stroke filled innings that included three massive sixes. He and Ebrahim added 124 runs in the fourth wicket to take the tally to 269. Wishart made 68 before Mashrafe clean bowled him. Javed Belim sent back Ebrahim by a superb throw that broke the stumps before the batsman was in. Ebrahim score 121 and struck 11 fours.

Zimbabwe ended their innings in style taking 22 runs off Rafique from the final over. Streak whacked two huge sixes and a boundary. The Zimbabwean totals reached 309 after full 50 overs, but match adjudicator reduced 5 runs from their total as a penalty as Wishart obstructed a Bangladeshi fielder while he was picking the ball. So, Bangladesh got a target of 305 to win the match. Mashrafe captured 2 wickets for 48.

Al-Sahariar and Javed Belim made a dream start hammering eight boundaries in their 46-run partnership. It was Al-Sahariar to go first tragically when Belim summoned him to take a risky improbable single. Garry Brent himself clipped the bails off before Al-Sahariar could touch the line. A remorseful Javed Belim departed soon after his mate edging a lollypop catch to Andy Flower. He made 27.

Little Ashraful was dismissed before he could set at the crease when the score was 76, clean bowled by Travis Friend, who was erratic at his first spell. Bashar, the most successful among the hosts, and Sanwar Hossain started playing rather prudently. They remained inseparable for 24.2 overs to manage 115. Bashar like his other golden days notched up a sparkling 66 before he missed an Ervine delivery that displaced his stumps.

Sanwar Hossain, though batted judiciously, spent too many balls to get his fifty. Marillier's direct throw returned him bagging 52 valuable runs that contained a solitary boundary.

Khaled Mahmud (50) hammered Brent for a six and a deafening applaud welcomed his endeavor. He hit several dazzling boundaries all around on his way. He reached his half-century, the third one in Bangladeshi innings, playing only 37 balls. He was caught at extra cover off Friend soon after he got that fifty.

Bangladesh managed 262 runs from their stipulated overs. Brent took 2 wickets for 40 and Streak captured 2 for 45. Dion Ebrahim was unquestionably adjudged the man-of-the-match.