It was an vital victory for Bangladesh as they hang in this unpredictable tournament. England continued to be the team to watch in this world cup as they gave the crowd another thrilling match in Chittagong. An very tactical game right from the toss which Shakib Al Hasan won and elected to field. The reason for fielding was that the due on the pitch will play an big part in the evening and it makes it harder for the bowlers to grip the bowl. Bangladesh only made one change from the team which lost to West Indies and Ashraful went out and Islam was brought in. For England Morgan came in for Pietersen and Shahzad came in for Broad. And an bit of a surprise as Prior went up the order to open with Strauss when thought Bell or Bopara would open.
It was an very good start by Bangladesh as the opening bowlers were bowling really tightly to them (Shafiul Islam, Hossain). They were backed up by really good fielding. But England were going along nicely happy to take the singles and twos and wait for the bad ball to hit away until they reached 30-0 when Prior went walk about and was stumped off the bowling of Razzak. It was an strange dismissal as Rahim knocked off the bails once but he was in and the Prior walked out of his crease and Rahim ripped the leg stump off and he was out. Prior had only himself to blame.
After that wicket England run-rate declined fast. They were not getting boundaries and even the singles and twos were dried up. By the end of the first powerplay England were 37-1. But as soon as the second powerplay was taken another wicket fell for England as the captain attempted an cut only managed an edge which went to the only slipper, Siddique and Naeem had his first wicket. England did not loss any more wickets through out that powerplay but the runs were not coming at all. In the second powerplay England made 10 runs losing 1 wicket. After 15 overs they were 47-2. Two overs later and 6 runs later England lost another wicket as Bell went out to Mahmudullah. He played an terrible half committed drive which went up for an easy catch for Naeem. It brought out the returning Morgan with the inform Trott.
Morgan gave England exactly what England needed. He was positive and aggressive but he did it in such a way that many of his shots were not high risk. In being positive it allowed Trott to play his natural game which is to build an solid innings. It also put less pressure on Trott in having to play an way which he isn't use to or comfortable at doing. Morgan was starting to really play well as the boundaries were coming quicker and easier.
For these two it was all about small targets, getting the score board moving and not losing any more wickets. They were passing at all those objectives as England reached 100 27th over. They then reached an 50 partnership within 62 balls where Morgan scored 33 and Trott 17. They also looked safe and confortable as England were starting to take control. They were complementing each other really well. Even Trott was starting to pick up the rate as he got use to the pitch and was finding scoring easier. They both got to there 50ts in consecutive overs as Morgan got there off 60 balls. He scored 7 fours. Then the next over Trott got there off 78 balls which included only 1 four.
The partnership continued as England got to there 150 in the 37th over. England were looking at an score of around 230-250 at this stage with wickets in hand. In the same over they also made the 100 partnership as this pair were looking to push on to an big score. Morgan looked good for an century until Kayes took an great diving catch off Naeem's bowling as Morgan was out for 63. This brought out Bopara to the crease.
He was only in for 2 overs when England decided to take the batting powerplay. Bopara and Trott tried to up the run rate as they tried to get the score to around 250. But this was harder for Trott as his game isn't attacking cricket and he fell in the batting powerplay to the captain Shakib as Trott was out for 67. It was an workmanlike innings only scoring 2 fours. An over later Bopara was out as he tried to attack Razzak but he hit it straight to Naeem as he was out for 16.
After that England's inning fell apart. Swann hit an quick 12 before he was caught and bowled by Shakib, Bresnan was the next one to go Rubel as he tried to hit an big six but only managed to hit it straight in the air as Shafiul caught him. Shahzad was the next one to go as he got an perfect yorker from Shafiul and 2 balls before the end Collingwood was brilliantly run out as he went for an risky second one too many times as England wer bowled out for 225. Most people felt it was 15-20 runs short of where England should have been.
Bangladesh replay started off really fast as Iqbal took on the England bowling. He was playing an clever innings as he was batting really fast but he was doing it risk free. The other opener Kayes was playing an anchor role as they raced to an 50 opening stand in just over 7 overs. The partnership was finally broken but only to an perfect yorker from Bresnan as he got it through Iqbal leg. This brought out Siddique to the wicket.
Siddique and Kayes were playing a lot more solidly as they were not looking to hit the gaps then looking for the ropes. They were pushing the score along nicely until Siddique went for an risky single. But unfortunately he was taken on one of the best fielders in the world and Anderson ran him out. It got even better for England as Shahzad, who hat an poor first spell getting hit by Iqbal, bowled an really quick yorker which bowled Hasan. England had revived from 52-0 to 73-3. This brought out the captain Shakib who needed to steady the innings and give Kayes support at the other end. Just like Morgan and Trott needed to re-build the innings.
These two went at it an solid but unspectacular rate. There main goal was to build partnership and the way they needed to do that was to be make small targets and not play for the fans but play for the country sort of attitude. These two seemed to have got that balance right as Bangladesh moved the score on at the pace where they were comfortable, there wasn't any scoreboard pressure, and Bangladesh got to there 100 without losing any more wickets. England at this stage were struggling with the due as they could not grip the ball properly. It looked to be getting to them as England kept complaining. In the 22nd over England did get the ball changed but a few overs later England were complaining again as the ball was wet again.
These two went on to make an 50 partnership as they got that in 68 balls. In the 28th over Kayes made an patient but well deserved 50, off 91 balls as scoring 4 fours in that 50, Bangladesh were closing in on an victory. They then reached 150 as England looked lost and disjointed. Bangladesh looked comfortable as they were easing to victory until Kayes went for an needless second run as Shahzad gave an bullet throw as Prior did the rest and Bangladesh lost Kayes.
England then started to bowl really well as they bowled tightly and were starting to get the ball to move a bit. But Bangladesh were fighting in there until a double blow as Shakib was bowled by Swann and then Rahim got an edged an ball from Shahzad and Prior took an diving catch and Bangladesh were 166-6. That quickly became 7 as 2 overs later Shahzad gave an perfet yorker that Naeem could not hit and he was bowled and then England went ahead in the match as Swann got Razzak out for 1. Bangladesh were 170-8 after 40 overs. They still needed 55 runs off the final 10 overs and Mahmudullah and Shafiul Islam.
The 42nd over was another turning point as Bangladesh got the game back into the balance as they attacked Swann in his last over. He was hit for an 4 off Mahmudullah hitting an reverse sweep and later in that over Shafiul hits Swann for another 4 over extra cover and last ball hit Swann over cow corner to hit an massive 6. They only needed 39 off 48 balls. Shahzad then bowled out his final over all only conceded 2 runs as he bowled every ball right on the money. Both of these bowlers ended up with good figures Swann (despite that last over) ended up with 10 overs 42-1. Shahzad ending up with 3-43, off 10 despite being hit around by Iqbal in the early part of the inning. Anderson and Bresnan would bowl out the final 6 overs.
The 45th over again put the game back in England's favor as Bresnan bowled an maiden (only 1 leg bye) as it looked to be slipping away from Bangladesh but then the next over Anderson put the game right back in Bangladesh favor as he bowled 3 wide deliveries. The first wide ball went away for 5 wides, then the third ball he bowled an wide ball as he could not get the ball to swing back in and then did an carbon copy the next ball. Out of the 9 runs scored in that over 7 of them were extras from those wides balls. The equation for Bangladesh was now less than an run an ball 22 needed off 24.
This time England could not get the game back as the next over 10 runs off Bresnan over as they scored 2 fours in that over where Shafiul hit an top edge which went straight to the boundary. Another day it would have gone to an fielder. The penultimate ball Bresnan gives an juicy full toss that Islam hit away for another 4. Even though the final bowl was an dot they only needed 12 off 18 balls. Anderson could not bowl an tight over that England needed as Shafiul hit another boundary over the bowlers head for 4. There were 3 more singles off the rest of the over and Bangladesh only needed 5 off the final 2 overs.
Bresnan tried his best to bowl tightly to the batsman and only conceded 1 run off the first 5 balls but the last ball of the over, and the last bowl of the match, Mahmudullah hits Bresnan into an gap and the ball went away for 4 and Bangladesh won an incredible match with 1 over to spare and 2 wickets in hand. Bresnan bowled well 35-1 off his 10 but this was Bangladesh's day.
Imrul Kayes was the man of the match as he scored an important 60 as he helped Bangladesh get to there target. Bangladesh move on to play the Netherlands next as they look to get into the quarter final in Chittagong as England return to Chennai to play an must win match against the West Indies.
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