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Tigers give SL a scare

Rokibul Hasan, who scored an unbeaten 38, off-drives during Bangladesh's ICC World Twenty20 warm-up match against Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge in Nottingham yesterday.

Bangladesh put up yet another spirited display but still suffered a four-wicket defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka in their last official ICC World Twenty20 warm-up game at Trent Bridge yesterday.

Bangladesh bowlers, in their defence of 151-6 in 20 overs, made Sri Lanka struggle before the latter reached the target making 152-6 with two balls to spare.

At one stage the Tigers tightened their grip on the match, leaving the Lankans need to score 25 runs from the last three overs. But it was Mashrafe Bin Mortaza who continued his 'slog flu' as the pace spearhead conceded 14 runs in the 18th over to eventually let the game slip.

Former Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene top scored with 43 off 28 balls that contained six fours and a six.

Indeed Bangladesh lost their official warm-up games against Australia and Sri Lanka, but they showed their potential ahead of the first Group A match against India which will take place on June 6 at the same venue.

Back to the match, seeking quick runs Bangladesh's top-order fell apart but a thrifty 70-run association between Mushfiqur Rahim and Rokibul Hasan helped them to a competitive score.

Bangladesh, having been handed a loss by Australia at this same venue on Monday, elected to bat on a hard batting track under sunny skies. Unfortunately for them, their top-order failed to fire due to a kamikaze approach and that put plenty of pressure on Rokibul and Mushfiqur. Rokibul never threatened to run away with the innings but his unbeaten presence at the end of a wobbly innings ensured Bangladesh take the field confidently.

Farveez Maharoof's first over cost 15 - Tamim Iqbal welcomed him with a trio of forceful boundaries - but also accounted for the trigger-happy Zunaed Siddiqui with a slow legcutter. Then a moment of madness had Tamim on his way back: Mohammad Ashraful turned the ball just wide of Nuwan Kulasekara, who collected with ease and whipped off the bails with both batsmen at the other end. There was never a run and the captain was to blame.

Batting was easy on this track - Shakib Al Hasan dispatched his first two deliveries for fours, Ashraful drag-flicked the next to fine leg - and all that was needed was partnerships. Bangladesh knew this track from yesterday and in particular the short boundaries for left-handers, but when they failed to perforate the field for a couple of overs, Ashraful and Shakib tried too much instead of trying to set a platform.

In particular, Bangladesh were rocked by Isuru Udana's double-wicket seventh over, which owed much to Kumar Sangakkara. Ashraful chased a very wide delivery and was excellently snapped up by Sangakkara, standing up to the stumps, and then Mahmudullah drove loosely and tickled a faint inside edge. Ajantha Mendis didn't take long to pick up a wicket, though truth be told it was an ugly heave across the line from Shakib.

Rokibul bided his time and didn't collect his first boundary until he'd faced 27 deliveries. He then opened up with some handy reverse sweeps and paddle shots and finished unbeaten on 38 from 40 balls. Mushfiqur hit 34 from 28 balls, including two clean sixes early into his arrival that cleared the stands over midwicket. Having picked out the deep midwicket boundary effortlessly in the penultimate over, Mushfiqur fell trying another in the last. Mashrafe Mortaza struck two clean straight fours to get the score above 150.

SCORES IN BRIEF
BANGLADESH: 151 for 6 in 20 overs (Tamim 14, Ashraful 16, Shakib 23, Rokibul 38 not out, Mushfiqur 34, Mashrafe 9 not out; Maharoof 1-23, Udana 2-30)

SRI LANKA: 152 for 6 in 19.4 overs (Dilshan 17, Jayasuriya 29, Jayawardene 43, Sangakkara 16, Mubarak 16; Mashrafe 2-30, Shakib 2-18)