27 January 2005	Thursday	16 Zilhaj 1425

CHITTAGONG, Jan 26: Opener Rajin Saleh top-scored 77 and spinner Manjural Islam Rana took four for 34 as Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 40 runs in the third one-day international on Wednesday.

Chasing a target of 245 to win, Zimbabwe started firmly but were all out for 204 in 47.5 overs. Bangladesh, batting first, scored 244 for nine in their 50 overs. Bangladesh's seventh victory in 104 one-day internationals enabled them to narrow Zimbabwe's lead to 2-1 in the five-match series.

Barney Rogers top-scored with 51 for Zimbabwe before he was trapped leg before by spinner Khaled Mahmud. Rogers faced 81 balls and hit four fours. Captain Tatenda Taibu came in at a crucial time with the score 93-4 and temporarily revived Zimbabwe by hitting 46, including two boundaries, before being removed by Mashrafe Mortaza when was caught by Rana.

Mortaza also bowled Douglas Hondo, who scored 10 from 10 balls in a last-ditch effort with Christopher Mpofu (3 not out) for the last wicket. Man-of-the-Match Rana bagged his first wicket when he had opener Stuart Matsinkenyeri stumped by Khaled Mashud for 16. He also dismissed Hamilton Masakadza (9), Elton Chigumbura (27) and Prosper Utseya (1).

Earlier Saleh, who played 93 balls and hit six fours and one six in his score of 77, shared in an opening partnership of 58 with Nafis Iqbal, who contributed 24.

Saleh was caught by Dion Ebrahim off Elton Chigumbura in the 30th over to leave the home side on 147 for two after cementing their innings. Brendan Taylor had Zimbabwe's best bowling figures of two for two for 23, with Utseya (2-33) and Tinashe Panyangara (2-59) also taking two wickets each.

SCOREBOARD



BANGLADESH:  



R. Saleh c Ebrahim b Chigumbura              77



N. Iqbal b Mpofu 24 Aftab b Utseya           38



H. Bashar c Ebrahim b Taylor                 26



M. Ashraful b Rogers                         11



Manjural Rana c and b Utseya                 6



M. Mortaza c Hondo b Panyangara              21



K. Mashud not out                            11



K. Mahmud b Taylor                           9



N. Hossain b Panyangara                      2



E. Haque junior not out                      4



Extras: (lb-2 w-6 nb-6)                      15



Total: (for nine wkts, 50 overs)             244



Fall of wkts: 1-58 2-147 3-147 4-164 5-178 6-206 7-220 8-236 9-239



Bowling: Panyangara 9-1-59-2 (nb-1 w-1), Mpofu 8-1-37-1 (nb-4 w-2), 
Hondo 4-0-22-0 (w-1), Rogers 10-0-40-1 (nb-1 w-1), Matsikenyeri 2-0-12-0 (w-1), 
Utseya 10-0-33-2, Chigumbura 2-0-15-1, Taylor 5-0-23-2.



ZIMBABWE:  



Matsikenyeri st K. Mashud b M. Rana           16



B.Rogers lbw b K. Mahmud                      51



D.Ebrahim c Aftab b N. Hossain                1



H.Masakadza c E. Haque jnr b M. Rana          9



B.Taylor c N. Iqbal b K. Mahmud               23



T.Taibu c M.I. Rana b M. Mortaza              46



E.Chigumbura lbw b M.Rana                     27



T.Panyangara b N. Hossain                     8



P.Utseya st K. Mashud b M. Rana               1



D.Hondo b M. Mortaza                          10



C.Mpofu not out                               3



Extras: (lb-3 w-5 nb-1)                       9



Total: (all out, 47.5 overs)                  204



Fall of wkts: 1-45 2-50 3-76 4-93 5-133 6-177 7-181 8-185 9-198



Bowling: Mashrafe Mortaza 8.5-0-38-2, Nazmul Hossain 9-0-34-2 (w-1), 
Manjural Islam Rana 10-0-34-4 (w-2), Khaled Mahmud 10-0-42-2 (w-2), 
Enamul Haque jnr 10-1-53-0 (nb-1).



Result: Bangladesh won by 40 runs.



First match: Zimbabwe won by 22 runs.



Second match: Zimbabwe won by 31 runs.



Fourth match: Jan 29, Dhaka (d/n)



Fifth match: Jan 31, Dhaka. -Reuters