Top-order troubles Bangladesh A in India

Woeful batting from Bangladesh A side’s top-order during the recently concluded three-match unofficial ODI series against India A underlined the differences between two, well matched teams.

Bangladesh lost the series 2-1 after a brave comeback in the second game on the back of a superlative display of batting and bowling from the spirited Nasir Hossain.

Inept in application and insipid in their attitude, Rony Talukdar, Soumya Sarkar and Anamul Haque failed miserably against not too threatening bowlers on a not too difficult a pitch at Bangalore, India.

All three top-order batsmen had two single digit scores in three matches against an experienced and proficient team on their home soil.

In all the games Bangladesh played, they lost their first wicket too early for their cause. Fourth over in the first ODI, fifth ball in the 2nd and seventh ball in the penultimate match, the scorecard read.

The highest opening stand was 25 in the opening game, one and three in the subsequent matches. In the first and third ODI, Bangladesh lost their second wicket within four overs, exposing the middle-order horribly.

Incidentally, Bangladesh A lost the first and third ODI of the series, when batsmen of the caliber of Soumya and Anamul disappointed themselves and the team.

Soumya scored 34 runs in the three matches, with the highest score of 24 in the 2nd game. Anamul pushed and shoved for 35 difficult runs in the series, 34 being his top-score also in Bangladesh’s win. Rony’s misery couldn’t be worse, he managed only 22 runs in the three opportunities he got to open the innings.

In the first game of the highly anticipated series, Bangladesh A had a mammoth target to chase, 323 to be exact after the bowlers endured an ordinary outing at Bangalore.

Unfortunately for the visitors, the game was effectively over by the sixth over when S Aravid reduced them to 34 for three.

Soumya looked edgy, got two fours to get going but was caught out for nine. Rony came out all guns blazing, struck three beautiful boundaries but lasted only 14 balls. Anamul got a golden duck, found hopelessly plumb in front of the wickets.

In the second match, Bangladesh was fortunate to find the top-order show some fight, and took the score to 60 by the 12th over before losing their 2nd wicket.

Soumya and Anamul combined well for a while, but remarkably, the Bangladeshi left-hander was lucky to survive two dropped chances.

Anamul Haque was out for a duck and one in two games against Indian A side. File Photo: AFP

Although more circumspect than his partner, Anamul searched desperately for runs, looked out of touch in his knock of 34 from 53 balls.

With the series on the line, Bangladesh’s top-order of imploded spectacularly during the third ODI, with Soumya dismissed in the 2nd over and Anamul in the third.

Rony played and missed a number of times, and his nervy stay at the wicket was ended after 26 balls. He scored just nine runs.

Bangladesh’s chase in the third unofficial ODI got derailed early, thanks to the abysmal failures on the batting pitch by the top-order batsmen once again.

Without Nasir Hossain’s contribution, Bangladesh A would have been humbled by the second-string Indian side quite easily. He accumulated 176 runs and took eight wickets, often coming out to bat when his side was at disarray.

If only he got more help from the likes of Soumya, Anamul and Rony, Bangladesh A would have fared much better.

Bangladesh are enjoying a successful period in coloured kits and a series win for the A side in India would have done their confidence a world of good…especially against Karnataka and India A, and the following home series against Australia.

Sadly for Bangladeshi fans, the ODI series win in India was not achieved.

The two three-day games are left in the tour when Bangladeshi batters, particularly the ones at the top can redeem themselves after the ODIs.

Best of luck to them!

Nasir Hossain celebrates the fall of a wicket with his teammates. File Photo: STAR