Hard Fought First Victory For Bangladesh

Mirpur: Paceman Shafiul Islam's spell of 4-21 helped Bangladesh beat Ireland by 27 runs in a Group B match in ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 at Mirpur on Friday.

Batting first Bangladesh was restricted to 205 in 49.2 overs and in reply Ireland was restricted to 178 in 45 overs.

Bangladesh got off to a quick start as Tamim Iqbal (44) and Imrul Kayes added 53 runs in 6.3 overs. But thereafter there was a middle-order collapse as Bangladesh slipped to 86 for 4.

A 61-run fifth wicket stand between Mushfiqur Rahim (36) and Roqibul Hassan (38) revived the innings. Later Naeem Islam (29) played a crucial hand as Bangladesh posted a modest total.

For Ireland, Trent Johnston (2-40), Andre Botha (3-32) and George Dockrell (2-23) were the best bowlers on view.

In its chase, Ireland lost wickets at regular intervals. Only the O'Brien brothers, Kevin (37) and Niall (38), managed to offer any resistance.

Bangladesh's spinners Mohammed Ashraful (2-42) and skipper Shakib Al Hasan (2-28) backed paceman Shafiul very well. In the end Bangladesh managed to successfully defend a modest target. Islam's spell was the best by a Bangladesh bowler in a Cricket World Cup game.

The win helped Bangladesh avenge two successive defeats by Ireland in major events, having lost during the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean and again in the 2009 World Twenty20 in England.

Ed Joyce and Niall O'Brien carried the score from 36-2 to 75 when Ashraful struck with the first delivery of his second spell.

Joyce, the former England batsman, made a fluent 16 when he was beaten in the air by a flighted ball and gave a delighted Ashraful an easy return catch.

Ashraful then bowled Andrew White for 10, while Shakib claimed his second wicket when Niall O'Brien fell to a diving catch by Tamim Iqbal at deep mid-wicket after making 38.

Kevin O'Brien slammed three fours and a six in 37 during a sixth-wicket stand of 41 with Andre Botha when he pulled Shafiul to mid-wicket to reduce Ireland to 151/6 in the 37th over.

Shafiul, who had recovered in time from a shoulder injury to play the key match, claimed three of the last four wickets to send Ireland crashing.

Earlier, seamer Andre Botha picked up three wickets and George Dockrell and Trent Johnston claimed two each to bowl out the hosts in 49.2 overs.

The hosts made a blistering start, racing to 49 without loss by the end of the fifth over, 37 of those runs coming from the blade of Tamim.

But the advantage was soon lost as four wickets fell for 33 runs in the next 10 overs.

Man of the match Tamim, who top-scored with 70 against India, began by taking 10 runs in Boyd Rankin's opening over and stroked seven boundaries in his 44 off 43 balls.

Mushfiqur Rahim and Raqibul Hasan lifted the hosts with a 61-run stand for the fifth wicket, before tailender Naeem Islam boosted the total with a defiant 29 towards the end.

Brief scores
Bangladesh 205 (Tamim 44, Botha 3-32, Johnston 3-40)
Ireland 178 (Shafiul 4-21)
Results Bangladesh won by 27 runs
Points Bangladesh 2, Ireland 0
MOM Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh)