Daily Times

SAVAR: Tamim Iqbal marked his return from injury with a blazing century for the BCB XI here on Thursday. The touring West Indians — under brand-new captain Rovman Powell — lost their only warm-up game before the three-match ODI series that begins on Saturday in a high-scoring rain-hit contest. Tamim, who fractured his left wrist during the Asia Cup in September, scored at a strike-rate close to 150, as he pummelled the West Indian bowlers for 13 fours and four sixes, making a 73-ball 107 while chasing 332. In a game where the BCB XI bowlers were themselves clattered for 331 in the first innings, Tamim joined forces with No. 3 Soumya Sarkar early in the chase to add 114 runs for the second wicket in just 83 balls. Sarkar smacked a quickfire unbeaten ton of his own, finishing on an 83-ball 103, as BCB XI won by 51 runs (via DLS method) with rain stopping play in the afternoon.

Even without the downpour, BCB XI were cruising towards their target of 332 on the back of the Tamim-Sarkar stand. When the game stopped with the BCB XI 314 for 6 after 41 overs, the hosts were only 18 runs from their initial target.

Earlier in the day, the West Indians, too, had a field day with the bat after winning the toss. A century stand between openers Kieran Powell (43) and Shai Hope (81) gave them a rapid start, but five wickets in the middle overs derailed their progress. Mehedi Hasan Rana and Nazmul Islam picked up two wickets each as the visitors went from 101 for no loss to 176 for 5. But a late surge by the unbeaten Roston Chase and No. 8 Fabian Allen took them past the 330-run mark. Chase finished on 65 off 51 balls, while Allen hit a 32-ball 48. Rubel Hossain and the captain Mashrafe Mortaza were the only two bowlers to concede less than six per over.

As for the West Indian bowlers, the spinners found the most reward, with Chase and Devendra Bishoo taking four wickets between them. Chase’s offspin dismissed both Bangladesh openers while Bishoo’s legspin earned him the wickets of Mohammad Mithun and Ariful Haque. Allen, the left-arm spinner, chipped in with Towrid Hridoy’s wicket. The West Indian pacers, though, found it harder on a batting-friendly surface. Keemo Paul and Kemar Roach went wicketless at over 9 per over while Oshane Thomas leaked 57 runs in his seven-over spell.

Brief scores: Bangladesh Cricket Board XI 314 for 6 in 41 overs (Tamim Iqbal 107, Soumya Sarkar 103 not out, Chase 2-57) beat West Indians 331 for 8 (Shai Hope 81, Roston Chase 65 not out, Rubel Hossain 2-55) by 51 runs (DLS method).

Published in Daily Times, December 7^th 2018.