A round-up of the first round of matches in the Logan Cup

Cricinfo staff09-Sep-2010
Scorecard
Mountaineers’ Bernard Mlambo was one of Njabulo Ncube’s four victims in the first innings•Zimbabwe Cricket

Mark Vermeulen’s unbeaten century guided Mountaineers to a five-wicket victory over Matabeleland Tuskers in Bulawayo on the final afternoon after fast bowler Shingirai Masakadza’s five-wicket haul on the third day had left them with 249 runs to chase.Mountaineers were in some trouble at 78 for 3 but a 114-run stand between Vermeulen and Prosper Utseya steadied the innings. After Utseya’s dismissal, Vermeulen kept his cool to steer his side to a win in what could have become a tense chase.Masakadza, who made his one-day and T20 debut against West Indies earlier this year, set up the chase with impressive bowling in Tuskers’ second innings. He first reduced them to 26 for 3, including the big wicket of Charles Coventry, and then returned to take three of the last four wickets as Tuskers were dismissed for 243. That total was possible largely due to Keegan Meth’s aggressive 94.The match had been reduced to a second-innings battle after both teams were dismissed within five runs of each other in the first innings. Coventry’s century in an otherwise uninspiring performance took Tuskers to 267, legspinner Natsai Mushangwe taking 4 for 68. Njabulo Ncube and Chris Mpofu ensured Mountaineers didn’t cross that total, taking seven wickets between themselves as Mountaineers were bowled out for 262.Mountaineers earned six points for their win to go to the top of the table while Tuskers got a point for taking the first innings lead.A last-wicket stand of 20 enabled Mashonaland Eagles to take the first-innings lead against Southern Rocks and earn themselves a point in a drawn game dominated by batsmen at the Masvingo Sports Club.Forster Mutizwa had played a captain’s innings of 114 but his side still needed 14 runs to overhaul Rocks’ total of 325 when the last pair of Tinotenda Mutombodzi and Mark Mbofana came together. Mutombodzi ensured his team went ahead and Eagles finally declared on 331 for 9. He had earlier taken 5 for 97 with his legspin, including the wicket of top-scorer Chamu Chibhabha for 85.After conceding the slender lead, Rocks piled on the runs in the second innings, eventually declaring on 449 for 5. Tatenda Taibu was unbeaten on 153 while former Kenya captain Steve Tikolo and Steve Marillier missed out on centuries, both getting dismissed in the nineties. Eagles batted for less than five overs in their second innings before the match was called off.

Dennis Lillee has tipped Australia to regain the Ashes because they have a stronger bowling attack

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-2010Dennis Lillee has tipped Australia to regain the Ashes because they have a stronger bowling attack. Lillee, who took 167 wickets in 29 Tests against England, believes the hosts’ current line-up is superior.”In the end it’s got to be [about] your attack – you’ve got to bowl sides out twice,” Lillee told Sky Sports Radio. “If I look at both attacks I think Australia – even without Warne and McGrath – have a better attack than England.”[Their] spinning attack – they may use spin twins – may be better than ours because Nathan Hauritz is still evolving, but overall our attack is better and that’s where games are won.”England lifted the Ashes at home in 2005 and 2009 but were beaten 5-0 in Australia in 2006-07, with McGrath, Warne and Langer retiring at the end of the series. “It’s going to be much closer than the other ones [in Australia],” Lillee said. “But we should probably win it 2-1 or 3-2.”

Darren Sammy, the West Indies captain, has said his team is keen on restoring its pride during the tour of Sri Lanka where it has arrived for a full series

Sa'adi Thawfeeq09-Nov-2010Darren Sammy, the West Indies captain, has said his team is keen on restoring its pride during the tour of Sri Lanka where it has arrived for a full series. Sammy was appointed captain last month after Chris Gayle, the former captain, turned down a central contract and the West Indies Cricket Board reacted by making significant changes to the team’s leadership; Brendan Nash was named vice-captain in place of Dwayne Bravo, who, too, did not agree to a new WICB deal. Both Gayle and Bravo, however, have been retained in the squad for the Test series.”We want to win, to play well and bring the passion and pride back to the West Indies,” Sammy told reporters upon arrival in Colombo. “We are a little bit inexperienced, young, but we have put in a good preparation work ahead of our coming here. I am looking forward to the practice game.”For us in the Caribbean cricket is more than just a game. All the players who are here are committed and in a way it is the legacy that West Indies cricket holds. We are going to bring back the passion and the pride and also perform for us to take the West Indies team up the ladder.”When asked if he was surprised to be appointed captain, Sammy said: “I wouldn’t say I was surprised. All my life I’ve been dreaming to be a West Indies cricketer. All I want to do was play and represent the West Indies, so being named captain is more of an honour to me.”The squad picked for the Sri Lanka series features several players who didn’t play against South Africa at home earlier in the year, West Indies’ most recent Test assignment. Adrian Barath, the opener who burst onto the international scene with a century on debut against Australia in Brisbane last year, returns after hurting his knee in April.Carlton Baugh, who has not played a Test since 2004, will compete with Devon Thomas for the role behind the stumps, while there was also a maiden call-up for the Jamaica allrounder Andre Russell. The opener Devon Smith, who played his most recent Test in May 2009, is also back after averaging 61.50 while leading West Indies A in the first-class fixtures in England this year.”The selectors have come up with the best team to represent the Caribbean side,” Sammy said. “I am very confident in all the players I have here, likewise all the players are confident in making the team and being here and to give off their best for the West Indies.”West Indies last played a Test series in Sri Lanka in 2005, losing it 0-2. The teams have played 12 Tests against each other, with Sri Lanka holding a 6-3 advantage.Kumar Sangakkara, fresh from the success of a maiden ODI series win in Australia, warned against complacency. “We don’t take any team lightly. We want to win the Test series. We expect nothing but the best from the West Indies and for us to match them.”The tour begins with a three-day warm-up game against Sri Lankan Board President’s XI on November 10, followed by the first Test in Galle. After the three-Test series, the teams play five ODIs, of which the first two will be played in Hambanthota, one of the venues for the 2011 World Cup. They round-off the tour with a Twenty20 international.

Michael Beer’s selection for the third Test in Perth was a shock to everyone in Australian cricket – not least to Beer himself

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Dec-2010Michael Beer’s selection for the third Test in Perth was a shock to everyone in Australian cricket – not least to Beer himself. Having played only five first-class matches since his debut in October, Beer has suddenly found himself in line to become Australia’s 418th Test cricketer, as the selectors search for a way to blunt England’s powerful batting line-up.It has been a sharp rise for a man who until last summer was playing club cricket in Melbourne, working at Puma and hoping to find a way into a Victorian team that already featured the spinners Bryce McGain and Jon Holland. Beer is the biggest bolter Australia’s selectors have chosen since Peter Taylor, the offspinner, who bowled Australia to victory in Sydney in 1986-87 having played six previous first-class matches.”I was a little bit surprised and I don’t think it really sank in until I rang my parents and actually blurted it out myself and thought hang on, what’s going on here?'” Beer said. “Twelve months ago I probably wasn’t a professional cricketer, that’s in all facets, and then WA gave me the opportunity under Mickey Arthur and they’ve been really great and backed me and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”The move to Perth has been brilliant for me. It definitely created a lot of opportunities and I’ve really enjoyed playing with the Warriors. I love it and the deck’s good. I love bowling on it.”A tall left-armer, Beer has impressed Arthur, his state coach, with his competitiveness, despite having not taken more than three wickets in an innings at state level. “He has a way to go. He is young in the game, but in a year’s time he will be sensational,” Arthur said. “He will be able to handle anything international cricket can throw at him.”The challenge for Beer is to ensure that in a year’s time – or in a month’s time – he has not become yet another in Australia’s long list of discarded spinners. If he debuts at the WACA, he will be the tenth slow bowler Australia have used in Tests since the retirement of Shane Warne and No. 9, the newly-axed Xavier Doherty, believes the selectors are panicking.”There is probably a little bit of panic there, but it is only a short series,” Doherty told the . “We’ve got to turn it around pretty quickly. In an ideal world, I would have liked a few more chances. You have seen how many spinners they have used over the last couple of years, so I’m sure the selectors aren’t quite sure who the next person is. But I’m sure if I am given another chance, I can certainly make an impact.”I started to feel the pressure. Once I started leaking a few boundaries instead of getting back to the basics of what I learnt in Shield cricket over the last couple of years, I probably went searching for a few more wickets and probably produced a few more bad balls. It cuts me pretty deep to know I didn’t put in my best performance in Adelaide and knowing I’m a better bowler than that.”

Shane Shillingford, the West Indies offspinner, has been suspended from bowling in international cricket after his action was found to be illegal following independent tests in Perth

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Dec-2010Shane Shillingford, the West Indies offspinner, has been dropped from the Windwards Islands squad for next month’s Caribbean T20 following his suspension from bowling in international cricket on Tuesday after his action was found to be illegal. Analysis of his action in Perth revealed that his mean elbow extension was 17 degrees, which is above the 15 degrees level of tolerance permitted under the laws.”We have taken the decision to pull him out of the Caribbean T20 tournament and he will be going to the High Performance Centre in Barbados at the beginning of January where he will commence three-months training,” said Emmanuel Nanthan, president of the Dominica Cricket Board and the Windward Islands Cricket Board chief. “It is hoped that at the end of his stint a second test will be done on his action with the view of getting him back for the Test series in 2011.”Shillingford had been reported for a suspect action after the first Test in Sri Lanka in November by on-field umpires Steve Davis and Richard Kettleborough, along with third umpire Asad Rauf and fourth umpire Tyron Wijewardene. The umpires’ report cited concern over the straightening of Shillingford’s arm while he bowled some deliveries.Nanthan said the WICB was working to rectify the situation and had sought out independent tests of the bowler’s action. “We have received the report from the University of Western Australia and that there is still more information that we have requested.””As a matter of fact, the WICB is making a request for footage on the testing that was done on Shane. That information will then be submitted to a company in the UK for independent analysis on behalf of the WICB. In the meantime, we want to ensure that Shane remains focused for that battle that is a head and that he is well prepared to get back on the international scene as quickly as possible.”21-year-old Vincentian legspinner Keron Cottoy will replace Shillingford in the 14-man Windwards squad.

Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons has expressed his frustration over the latest injury to fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza that has put him in doubt for the World Cup that will be held in the subcontinent next year

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Dec-2010Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons has expressed his frustration over the latest injury to fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza that has put him in doubt for the World Cup that will be held in the subcontinent next year. Mortaza injured his right knee while batting for his club Abahani in a Dhaka Premier Division League match earlier this week.”A fit and firing Mash [Mashrafe Mortaza] was obviously our first preference for the World Cup and this is a huge disappointment for Mash and the team as well,” Siddons told the Bangladesh newspaper from Australia.The final report of an MRI scan performed on Tuesday confirmed that there had been a near complete tear of the reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament graft on his right knee. Mortaza had surgery on his right knee in August 2009 after he injured it during the first Test against West Indies at St. Vincent in July that year.An ankle problem ruled Mortaza out for most of the recent home one-day series against New Zealand which Bangladesh won 4-0. He came back for the five-match ODI series against Zimbabwe but said after the first two games that he needed more match practice to get his rhythm back. While Siddons was confident that the bowling attack would be able to cope should Mortaza not be fit in time for the World Cup, he said that Mortaza’s experience would be missed.”The inclusion of Rubel (Hossain) or Nazmul (Hossain) would change the dynamics of the opening attack but I believe that though it would be different it would not be weakened significantly,” he said. “The loss of Mash will be seen in his leadership and experience. We cannot cover this aspect of his loss.”This injury is the latest in the long line of injuries for Mortaza. He has undergone six knee reconstructions in the space of eight years, and is currently undergoing a non-surgical treatment for his knee, involving physical therapy and use of a knee brace.

As if Virender Sehwag’s batting strike-rate of 102 over a decade in one-day cricket wasn’t enough to frighten bowlers, he has now set his sights on batting long during the World Cup

Siddarth Ravindran in Bangalore11-Feb-2011As if Virender Sehwag’s batting strike-rate of 102 over a decade in one-day cricket wasn’t enough to frighten bowlers, he has now set his sights on batting long during the World Cup. During his astonishing double-century against Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan in the Galle Test in 2008, Sehwag carried his bat but he is yet to bat out the full quota of overs in one-dayers, something he hopes to achieve.”I think I never played 50 overs in one-day cricket, maximum I faced is 42-44 overs,” a relaxed Sehwag said in Bangalore. “This time I’ll try to bat 50 overs if I can. I have been trying for 10 years, I’m still trying.” Emulating Sachin Tendulkar, who made the first and only double-century so far in the format when he played out 50 overs against South Africa last year, wasn’t a target for Sehwag though. “Sachin has played 50 overs many times, not just once, but he could make 200 only once because it is not easy to make 200 in a one-dayer.”Nearly a third of Sehwag’s innings have been single-digit efforts, a proportion he aims to reduce with a more measured approach early in the innings. “I have Yuvraj [Singh], MS Dhoni, [Suresh] Raina, [Virat] Kohli and Yusuf [Pathan] in the middle order, so I can go after the bowling straight from the first ball, but nowadays I’m a giving a little bit of respect for first 4-5 overs,” he said. “Then I can take on the bowlers to make sure I give a good start so even if I get out the middle order can take their time and then go after the bowling.”This will be the first World Cup since Twenty20 become a big-money phenomenon, and Sehwag says the rise of cricket’s newest format will mean teams batting first will have to set bigger targets to feel safe. “If you get a good batting track, 320 or 300 will be a par score in the World Cup,” he said. “IPL changed a lot of batsmen’s mindsets, because batsmen now think we can chase 10 run an over anytime. Before teams thought you have lost the game if they needed to chase 10 an over, but now with the power-hitters in the team, they will chase it and that will be very exciting to see in the World Cup”Injuries and the team management’s decision to rest him from some recent series has meant Sehwag goes into the World Cup not having played a one-dayer in more than five months. He missed the recent series against South Africa due to a shoulder problem, and though he is satisfied with his recovery, he is yet to start bowling. “I’m taking regular treatment, so hopefully it will be fine when the match comes,” he said. “I don’t want to bowl in the nets and get injured again, so when I feel my shoulder is better I can start bowling.”Shoulder trouble ruled Sehwag out of the past three global ICC tournaments – the Champions Trophy in 2009, and the previous two World Twenty20s – and India have had early exits in each of those, despite entering as title contenders. This World Cup, too, India are one of the front-runners. What lessons has the team learnt from past failures? “The only thing we learnt is that we are not favourites.”

Ricky Ponting has nominated David Hussey and Steven Smith as the men in danger of being axed from Australia’s side to squeeze Michael Hussey in

Siddarth Ravindran in Bangalore12-Mar-2011

Match Facts

March 13, Bangalore

Start time 2.30pm (0900 GMT)Australia have not yet decided whether to throw Michael Hussey straight into the action after he joined the team as a replacement for Doug Bollinger•Getty Images

The Big Picture

When you have just lost a match to the lightweights Canada, you don’t want the next opponent to be someone who has been undefeated in 32 World Cup matches. A combination of Kenya’s wobbling top order and Australia’s pace battery means the Chinnaswamy Stadium could stage the biggest mismatch of the tournament on Sunday – the odds on one Australian betting site are so long that a 100$ bet on a Kenyan defeat will only win you 50 cents.It will be a relief for Australia to get back to cricket, having played their last full game as long ago as February 25. Things are set to become a lot more hectic for them, with their remaining three league matches coming up over the next week. They haven’t had a tough workout in the tournament yet, and it is unlikely they will in their next two matches as well, against the Associates in the group, Kenya and Canada. Those encounters will be vital for Michael Hussey, who joined the squad after the rained-out match against Sri Lanka. If deemed fit, they will provide him the chance to adjust to subcontinent conditions.Kenya know they have a tough task on their hands, and though chances of a win look remote, they have a couple of targets. First, if their batting, which has gradually improved over the World Cup – their totals read 69, 112, 142 and 198 – betters those scores, it will be an achievement. Secondly, Ricky Ponting has been a vocal supporter of the need for a streamlined World Cup, with lesser number of teams. What better chance to prove him wrong than by turning in a strong performance against the world champions?

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first)

Australia WWWWW

Kenya LLLLW

Watch out for…

Cameron White has grown into a senior player in the Australian setup over the past two years. Leader of the national team in Twenty20s, he has also cemented his place as a big-hitting finisher. It’s been a while since he played a big knock, though, with no half-century in 11 matches. The amiable Kenyan bowling could help him change that.Tanmay Mishra is one of the talented youngsters to emerge from Kenya, and is only one of two batsman from the country to have an average above 30. He showed his maturity in the game against Canada, with a sedate half-century that revived Kenya after a familiar top-order collapse.

Team news

Australia will resist the temptation to rest either of their frequently injured fast bowlers, Brett Lee and Shaun Tait, and will field their best XI. Ponting, though, still needs to decide what that best XI is, and whether to include the recovering Michael Hussey in the match. If they do, Ponting said either David Hussey or Steven Smith will make way.Australia (probable) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Brad Haddin (wk), 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Cameron White, 6 Michael Hussey/David Hussey, 7 Steven Smith, 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Jason Krejza, 11 Shaun TaitSteve Tikolo has been struggling with a stomach bug, and though he is recovering it remains to be seen whether he will be fit for Sunday’s match.Kenya (probable) 1 Maurice Ouma (wk), 2 Seren Waters, 3 Collins Obuya, 4 Steve Tikolo, 5 David Obuya, 6 Tanmay Mishra, 7 Thomas Odoyo, 8 Jimmy Kamande (capt), 9 Nehemiah Odhiambo, 10 James Ngoche, 11 Elijah Otieno.

The match will be played on the same track that was used for the England-Ireland match, which produced more than 650 runs, so Ponting expects an easy surface for the batsmen on Sunday. The weather is also expected to be pleasant; sunny but not too humid.

• Thomas Odoyo has been Kenya’s best allrounder: he’s their leading wicket-taker in one-dayers, and the second highest run-getter as well
• Shaun Tait has a strike-rate of 26.3 in one-dayers, the best among all bowlers who have sent down at least 1000 deliveries
• Kenya have lost all four of their encounters with Australia, and only once have they really tested Australia, in September 2002 when Shane Watson’s unbeaten 77 sealed a last-over win

Quotes

“As we’ve seen in the tournament so far, there is a possibility of upsets happening … we won’t take any game lightly.”

“The guys are really looking forward to playing the top teams, so far I think we have let the fans down, hopefully tomorrow we come up and help them enjoy the day.”

A round-up of the final round of games from the World Cricket League Divsion 2 tournament in Dubai, where UAE prevailed over Namibia in the tournament final

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Apr-2011Half-centuries from Saqib Ali and captain Khurram Khan helped United Arab Emirates to a five-wicket win over Namibia in the final of the ICC World Cricket League Division Two tournament at the Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium on Friday.Having been set a target by Namibia of 201, the hosts claimed victory after a stand-out performance from Ali who set the side up for victory before captain Khan and Amjad Javed finished proceedings. By virtue of reaching the final UAE and Namibia have now claimed 17th and 18th position in the world rankings.UAE had been undefeated in the group stages of the event and made a strong start in the final after Namibia had won the toss and opted to bat. Both Namibian openers were removed within the first eight overs, but captain Craig Williams’ 58 and contributions from Sarel Burger (42) and Raymond van Schoor helped Namibia reach 200.Under darkening skies, UAE lost both opener Amjad Ali and Naeemuddin Aslam early in their chase to left-arm medium-pacer Kola Burger. Arshad Ali contributed a solid 30, but two wickets in the space of six balls brought Namibia right back into the game as UAE slipped to 73 for 4. Then came Ali and Khan’s match-winning partnership of exactly 100, which took UAE to within striking distance of the Division 2 title.After adding yet another half-century, Williams took his tally of runs for the tournament to 335 and earned the Player of the Tournament title. “I’ve worked really hard particularly since my appointment to captaincy, and I try to set an example,” he said. “We are lucky to have such a well-balanced side, and the long batting line up really does take the pressure off me. As captain I hope the boys get that that they see how hard I work for them.”I think we lost wickets at crucial moments within the game and we’re going to work on it. UAE bowled 40-something overs of spin alone, so we really need to work on our response to such bowlers. In South Africa we play against quick bowlers all the time so it’s something we need to work on.”Namibia are very good competition – they started very well today and we were worried they’d run up a total of 250 or more, which would be very hard to chase particularly on this turf,” added UAE captain Khurram Khan. “But then Saqib Ali came and bowled exceptionally – with his 3-13 and I think that really turned the game around.”There is a lot of pressure on Saqib as we know he is always going to do well and he has performed consistently throughout the tournament. He is also a good batsman and I think we had a very good partnership. Throughout the tournament our key bowlers have always been spinners – and we know that they are very good. In this one-day format we must ensure we restrict the batsmen from scoring and that’s what our spin bowling attack is there for.”On a personal note I am very proud of my team – and I don’t know how much longer I’ll be playing for the UAE now I’m 39. I hope to play in the Intercontinental Cup should the Development Committee select us as I’d like to see my boys through that. It will be time for me to step down soon, but who knows.”In a repeat of the Division Three finals, Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea faced each other once more with PNG romping to a 127-run win at the ICC Global Cricket Academy. The win earned PNG third place and both teams will remain in Division Two.PNG’s win was set up by a solid 55 from Asad Vala and an adventurous, unbeaten 74 from Vani Morea, which took their team to 225 for 6. Hong Kong’s reply never got going, seamer Raymond Haoda providing three early breakthroughs and spinners Andrew McIntosh and Mahuru Dai sealing the result with a volley of quick wickets.After the match 16-year-old Hong Kong batsman Mark Chapman received a reprimand and an official warning after being reported by on-field umpires Theunis van Schalkwyk and Sri Ganesh. Chapman was found to have breached Section 2.1.3 of the ICC Code, which relates to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an international match,” and was consequently charged with a Level 1 offence.”I hope Mr Chapman, as a young and potential player for the future, has learned that there is no place for this type of behaviour in the game and that the spirit of the game should be maintained at all times,” said Match Referee Graeme La Brooy. “I also trust that in future, he will be more courteous and pay others the respect that they deserve.”With both Uganda and Bermuda assured of relegation to Division Three, they had little more than pride – and the positions of 21st and 22nd in the world rankings – in their match at the Global Cricket Academy.Bermuda captain David Hemp held his side’s innings together with 44, but Bermuda could manage only a sub-par 193 as Uganda’s bowlers struck at regular intervals. Uganda lost Roger Mukasa to the very first ball of their chase and slipped to 33 for 3 before opener Arthur Kyobe and Benjamin Musoke launched the recovery with a 96-run stand for the fourth wicket. Kyobe fell to offspinner Delyone Borden to give Bermuda hope, but Musoke and Frank Nsubuga responded with a rapid partnership that sealed a five-wicket win with almost four overs to spare.By virtue of finishing in the top four of the event, UAE, Namibia, PNG and Hong Kong will each receive dedicated ICC High Performance grants while two out of the four will play in the ICC Intercontinental Cup which commences later this year. The two teams that will compete in the Cup will be chosen by the ICC Development Committee at its next meeting.

Mohammad Ashraful shone with both ball and bat to lead his Bangladesh A side to a six-wicket victory against South Africa A at Buffalo Park in East London, in the first of five unofficial ODIs

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Apr-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMohammad Ashraful took three wickets and scored 118 not out in an all-round performance•Getty Images

Mohammad Ashraful shone with both ball and bat to lead his Bangladesh A side to a six-wicket victory against South Africa A at Buffalo Park in East London, in the first of five unofficial ODIs. Only 10 days ago South Africa had been battering Bangladesh in a four-day match, and in their home conditions were firm favourites to dominate the 50-over matches as well. However, the experienced Ashraful, who has alone played more one-day internationals than the entire South Africa A side combined, took 3 for 27 with his part-time spin to restrict South Africa to 226, and then scored an unbeaten century to help his side chase the target in 43.3 overs.Ashraful put South Africa in to bat, and after his frontline bowlers couldn’t get an early wicket, it fell to him to come on in the 10th over and dismiss his opposing captain Jacques Rudolph. Ashraful struck twice more in a seven-over spell, leaving South Africa reeling at 52 for 3. Things got worse for the hosts as Farhaan Behardien was bowled by left-arm spinner Elias Sunny, Vaughn van Jaarsveld was run out, and Heino Kuhn was caught trying to drive 19-year-old offspinner Nasir Hossain. At 73 for 6, South Africa looked like they would struggle to get 150.There was a recovery though; Dean Elgar, fresh from his 169 not out in the rain-affected second four-day game between the two sides, put together a 121-run partnership with allrounder Vernon Philander. The two batted until the 49th over, when Elgar fell for 76. Philander then hit three consecutive sixes off Farhad Reza in the same over, and South Africa took another 11 runs off the 50th to finish with a fighting total of 226 for 8. Philander finished 79 not out.The target started looking steep for Bangladesh when they found themselves 40 for 3 in the 12th over. Ashraful, coming in at No 5, was watchful early on, taking 28 balls before striking his first boundary. He had reached 21 off 44 before he suddenly exploded with Bangladesh at 84 for 3 in the 23rd over. Ashraful hit the next six balls he faced for boundaries, and Bangladesh seized control of the chase. Ashraful continued to attack in bursts, with Junaid Siddique rotating the strike at the other end.The two put together 149 before Siddique fell for 60, but by then the game was Bangladesh’s to lose. Ashraful reached his century soon after Siddique’s dismissal, and then ended the game with two consecutive boundaries in the 44th over, finishing 118 not out off 99 balls. It was a significant performance from a man who was once considered the future of Bangladesh cricket, but has now found himself relegated to the A team.