Bangladesh A v Zimbabwe A, Dhaka, 3rd day

Bangladesh A sneak one-wicket win

Cricinfo staff

December 13, 2006

Bangladesh A 142 (Ireland 7-36) and 118 for 9 (Saleh 23, Cremer 3-25, Ireland 3-38) beat Zimbabwe 146 (Williams 63, Haque jnr 5-21) and 113 (Williams 32*, Shahzada 4-25) by one wicket
Scorecard
Bangladesh A sneaked a one-wicket win over Zimbabwe at Mirpur, but only thanks to a last-wicket stand between Mohammad Shahzada and Enamul Haque jnr. Coming together with the score on 109 for 9 - still nine runs short- the pair calmly guided their team home in a match in which no batsman ever came to terms with a pitch criticised for its uneven bounce.

Zimbabwe had seemed to be heading to defeat when Bangladesh A, who resumed on 29 for 1, progressed to 63 for 1 in the first half hour. However, with only 45 runs needed, the innings fell apart as eight wickets went down for 46 runs, with Zimbabwe's bowlers finally showing a resolve which had been missing among their batsmen.

Anthony Ireland took 3 for 38 - taking his match haul to 10 for 74 - while Graeme Cremer chipped in with 3 for 25 as in the space of 27 overs Zimbabwe went from certain defeat to likely victory. But Shahzada and Haque ensured that Bangladesh A had the final say in a low-scoring contest

The closeness of the finish could not mask the humiliating nature of the defeat for Zimbabwe, twice dismissed for under 150 in the match. Sean Williams, who struggled manfully with the bat, and Ireland were the only men to emerge with any credit in a lacklustre performance from a team that has lost 12 ODIs in a row.

The two sides meet again in a four-day match starting at the same venue on Friday. It represents the last chance for Zimbabwe to salvage anything from a tour which has seen almost all the signs that they might have turned the corner cruelly crushed.

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Stories

Ireland shines but Zimbabwe crumble

Zimbabwe suffer further humiliation

Matches

Bangladesh A v Zimbabwe A at Dhaka (SBNS)

Players/Umpires

Anthony Ireland

Mohammad Shahzada

Series/Tournaments

Zimbabwe A tour of Bangladesh

Teams

Bangladesh

Zimbabwe