Pace duo Khaled Ahmed and Anamul Haque shone bright as Bangladesh ‘A’ dominated the opening day of their first four-day match against their New Zealand counterparts at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Khaled took four wickets while Anamul took three as New Zealand ‘A’ managed to post 226-8 in 64 overs. Mitch Hay remained unbeaten on 68 runs while Kristian Clarke was batting on 12 when the play ended on a rain-hit day.
The play was delayed by one hour in the morning as the home team decided to field first in a bowling-friendly condition. Play, however, stopped again after seven overs before resuming one and a half hours later.
Khaled struck first as he bowled New Zealand captain Joe Carter for 17 with a beaming in-swinging delivery. Anamul followed suit as Rhys Mariu had no answer to his inswing after making 13 off 39.
Anamul got his second when Mo Abbas went for a drive before Ebadot Hossain joined the party by dismissing Nick Kelly for 20.
Matt Boyle became Khaled’s second scalp, while Anamul got his third when he bowled Josh Clarkson for 16 with another inswinger as New Zealand were reeling at 101-6 at that point.
Hay and Dean Foxcroft, however, steadied the ship for a while in their partnership of 98 runs for the seventh wicket. They were detached when Khaled made another breakthrough; this time Foxcroft was bowled for 47 runs.
Adi Ashok was plumbed in front by Khaled a few overs later. The visitors ended the day without losing any further wickets as Clarke kept company with Hay when the umpires called it a day.
Earlier, Bangladesh ‘A’ won the one-day series by 2-1.
