Despite an all-round performance from Ireland’s Kimberley Garth, Bangladesh defeated the Emerald Isle by six wickets in the first warm-up match of the International Cricket Council’s Women’s World T20 Tournament as Rumana Ahmed and Ayasha Rahman also starred last night at the Providence Stadium.
Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bowl first, limiting Ireland to 83-7 in their allotted overs while in the chase, reaching 84-4 in 14.4 overs.
At the end of the match, Ahmed said the win will give all the girls some amount of confidence but it is still early in the tournament so they will have to keep working and keep on improving. She added that the leg spin bowling and the fielding were two areas where she was happy after working on them in the practice sessions.
Garth, whose mother and father both represented Ireland, top scored for Ireland with 34 from 35 balls and was the pillar of the seventh-wicket stand of 39 alongside Shauna Kavanagh.
During the Irish innings, 37 year old Clare Shillington was the first to go after chasing a wide delivery from Jahanara Alam into the hands of Ahmed at first slip while her opening partner, 18-year-old Rebecca Stokell chipped down the track to the legbreak bowler, Ahmed only to be stumped.
Gabby Lewis, the youngest player to make her debut got into her groove with two beautiful boundaries before holding out to Fahima Khatun at midwicket for 15.
Kavanagh looked the part and tried to steady the innings after Ireland were reduced to 30-4 by the halfway stage but Bangladesh were especially impressive in the field resulting in her runout with a direct hit for 10.
Garth was experimental in her batting, trying the occasional ramp shot and batting on a fifth stump line. The 22-year-old found success with her implementable batting, even dispatching Lata Mondol to the deep square leg for the lone six of the innings along with three fours.
Alam ended with 2-11 from three overs while Ahmed collected 3-9 from her full quota of fours overs.
Bangladesh were in cruise control with the opening partnership between Rahman and Shamima Sultan putting on 37 before Sultan was run out by Lucy O’Reilly for nine.
Garth returned, this time with the ball, and struck three times in five balls. Rahman’s offstump was uprooted as she departed for 25 from 26 balls inclusive of a lone six over deep midwicket while Nigar Sultana and Ahmed fell in the final two balls of the over to leave Bangladesh at 54-4 at the halfway stage.
However, the 48-run fifth wicket partnership between Fargana Hogue who made an unbeaten 21 from 21 balls consisting of two boundaries and Sanjida Islam, who sprinted to 20 not out from 26 balls, ending the match with a sweep to the boundary. Garth ended with 3-4 from her two overs.
Delany, speaking after the match said they were disappointed with the loss but knew it was always going to be difficult playing here. She noted that both teams have played a lot together and that allowed them to set the right fields for the Irish.
The two sides in the spirit of cricket participated in a friendly super over where Bangladesh made eight batting first. In reply, Ireland lost Shillington to the first delivery after swiping to point while Lewis was also out caught to see Ahmed getting 2-5 in her over.
