Comitted to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 4 Num 39 Sat. July 05, 2003  
   
Sports


Ton eludes Bashar


Habibul Bashar missed out by one run on becoming Bangladesh's first century-maker on their Australian cricket tour against the Common-wealth Bank Cricket Academy here on Friday.

Bashar was bowled by paceman Mark Cleary for 99 after Bangladesh produced a spirited all-round display on the second day of their three-day tour match at Allan Border Field.

Bashar struck 16 boundaries in his 188-minute innings as Bangaldesh, tuning up for this month's two Tests against Australia, declared their first innings at 232 for seven, a deficit of 26 runs against the Academy youngsters.

At the close, the Academy were 99 for four to lead by 125 runs and six wickets remaining with one day left.

Resuming at 53 for one in pursuit of the Academy's first innings score of 258 for three declared, Bangladesh produced their most assertive batting of the tour.

Bashar and Javed Omar (59) batted throughout the first session and put on 146 in 176 minutes for the second wicket before their union ended after lunch.

The Bangladesh innings lost momentum after Omar was dismissed following a 213-minute innings, which included 12 boundaries.

The tourists suffered another fall after a 38-run fifth wicket stand between Sanwar Hossain (26) and Alok Kapali (14).

Captain Aaron Nye (2-40 off 18 overs) and fellow medium-pacer Callum Ferguson (2-5 off five) were the Academy's main wicket-takers.

In their second innings, the Academy lost opening batsman Simon Williams (three) and Scott Meuleman (29) to opening bowler Mashrafee-bin-Mortuza (2-19 off six).

The Academy also lost Peter Worthington (four) and Luke Ronchi (22) to paceman Tareq Aziz (1-33 off seven) and spinner Mohammad Rafique (1-7 off six) respectively.

At stumps, Nye was unbeaten on 27 and Ferguson on 10 in a 27-run stand.

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Bashar....99