Barisal tame ill-organised Chittagong
A full house Port City crowd disappointed
Syed Mohammed Pithu, Ctg
Chittagong Vikings expectation to come out from the spiral of defeat by the blessings of the adoring home crowd turned to a nightmare in the perky evening at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in the Port City yesterday.
The home team suffered a humiliating 33-run defeat to the Barisal Bulls in front of a full house of deafening spectators as they came up with an intention to turn the things after losing three out of first four matches in Dhaka. Perhaps the margin of defeat couldnt express clearly how humiliated they were.
The fate of the match was effectively determined in the 10th over, when Elton Chigumubra was dismissed as the fifth Chittagong batsman, leaving the team in precarious 51 for five. From that point, it was the matter of when the inevitable would come. They couldnt bat even full 20 overs. On its way to the third victory in fourth match, Barisal wrapped up the home teams innings for 137 with one ball to spare, after setting a respectable target of 173.
In a wicket conducive to the batsman, it wasnt tough target at all. But the bottom line was, the home team was sheer irresponsible and left the aspiration of making last-four jeopardised, having lost third straight match. They were literally bogged down once Barisal batsmen cut through their bowling in surgical manner to score 98 runs in the last seven overs, to take the score 170 for seven. For a team, who were 63 for five in 12th over, it was huge boost and for opponent, it was mental agony. Chittagong couldnt shrug off the shock of the Barisals late onslaught indeed.
It was Elton Chigumbura whose one bizarre over cost the match dearly. In his second and the 19th over of the innings, he gave away 22 runs, including 5 no balls and three wides. He in total conceded 38 runs in his two overs. While Chigumburas two overs tilted the match towards Barisal, the effort of its captain Mahmudullah Riyad shouldnt be forgotten. He was as cool as cucumber, as the wickets were tumbling around him. Playing a serene 45 ball-51 knock, he set the platform of a late surge, which was well-scripted by Seukgge Prasanna and Kevon Cooper. Prasanna struck four sixes and one four on his 20 ball-36, while Cooper smashed two sixes on an unbeaten 22 off 11. Riyad who was dismissed in the penultimate over, hit three fours and one six in his match-turning innings.
Chittagongs Pakistan pace tearaway Mohammad Amir as usually shined with bowling, returning two for 20. The other bowlers however couldnt maintain the figure.
In pursuit of a big chase, Chittagong was left in a niggling troublesome position, losing its captain and best batsman Tamim Iqbal (7) in second over. Al-Amin Hossain was the bowler who, pumped up by the late surge of the team, gave the side a start that they were craving for. The two overseas recruits- Tillkaratne Dilshan and Kamran Akmal, on who Vikings pinned a high hope, failed to prop up the game as it mattered. Akmal, playing his first match for Vikings was trapped run out on naught while Dilshan made 19. Kevon Cooper (three for 22), with the alliance of Mohammad Sami and Al-Amin scythed down the middle order of Vikings to give them a horror start in Chittagong phase. Naeem Islam with 38 was the top scorer for Vikings.
SCOREBOARD
Barisal Bulls innings:
E Lewis lbw b Dilshan 4
Rony Talukdar lbw b Amir 0
Mehedi c Asif b Ziaur 28
Sabbir lbw b Shafiul 0
M Riyad c Kamran b Chigumbura 51
Nadif lbw b Ziaur 7
S Prasanna c Chigumbura b Amir 36
K Cooper not out 21
M Sami not out 9
Extras (lb 1, w 7, nb 6) 14
Total: (7 wickets; 20 overs) 170
Did not bat: Al-Amin Hossain, Taijul Islam
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-10, 3-12, 4-52, 5-63, 6-124, 7-159.
BOWLING O M R W
T Dilshan 1 0 9 1
M Amir 4 0 20 2
Shafiul 4 0 34 1
Asif 3 0 18 0
Enamul jnr 3 0 26 0
E Chigumbura 2 0 38 1
Ziaur 3 0 24 2
Chittagong Vikings innings:
Tamim c Cooper b Al-Amin 6
T Dilshan c Sami b Taijul 19
Kamran run out 0
Anamul c Nadif b Al-Amin 12
Naeem b Cooper 38
E Chigumbura c Rony b Cooper 5
Ziaur c Cooper b Sami 13
M Amir b Cooper 20
Shafiul run out 12
Enamul jnr b Riyad 3
Asif not out 0
Extras (b 2, lb 3, w 4) 9
Total: (all out; 19.5 overs) 137
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-19, 3-36, 4-40, 5-51, 6-77, 7-122, 8-129, 9-137, 10-137.
BOWLING O M R W
M Sami 4 0 19 1
Al-Amin 4 0 34 2
K Cooper 4 0 28 3
Taijul 3 0 20 1
S Prasanna 4 0 25 0
M Riyad 0.5 0 6 1
