Jos Buttler continued his calm and confident start to a tour where he has been thrown in at the deep end by guiding England home against stiff opposition in their only one-day warm-up game here.
Buttler, made stand-in captain after Eoin Morgan refused to travel to Bangladesh for safety reasons, led England home from a perilous position against a strong Bangladesh Board XI in company with Moeen Ali.
Together the pair added 139 for the sixth wicket as England overtook the home side's 309 for nine with 23 balls and four wickets to spare in this suburb of Dhaka.
Jos Buttler (right) shakes Moeen Ali's hand at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium on Tuesday
Wicket-keeper Buttler looks on during the warm-up against the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI
England certainly didn't have it all their own way earlier when the Board XI took advantage of their early tour slumber to provide a testing examination of an England side without the missing Morgan, Alex Hales and Joe Root.
From the start England's seamers had no answer to the flashing blade of Imrul Kayes, one of the six members of the Board XI who have played international cricket.
The rust was evident in the England attack who, faced with a little bounce in the Fatullah pitch, repeatedly bowled too short and were punished by a left-hander who should meet again in the first one-day international on Friday.
England had no answer to Kayes, who raced to 121 off 91 balls, with no fewer than six sixes, before he was bowled by David Willey.
Up until then England looked likely to have to chase a total nearer 400 than the eventual 309 for nine that the Board XI eventually reached after scoring just 49 off the last 10 overs.
England will hope they have got a poor bowling performance out of their system ahead of the serious business of this tour. No-one was more disappointing than Adil Rashid, making his return after controversially withdrawing from Yorkshire's championship decider against Middlesex.
Buttler (left) and team-mate Ben Stokes take a single run during the ODI match in Fatullah
Rashid has been England's best one-day bowler since they began their 50-over revolution last year but here he bowled far too many long hops and disappeared for 76 off his 10 overs for the wicket of Nozmul Hossain.
Nozmul had earlier been dropped on 10 by Vince, whose fallibility in the field from the summer was extended when he failed to cling on to an admittedly difficult chance above his head in the covers.
There was the sight of Liam Plunkett limping his way through his later overs and Ben Stokes having to leave the field in discomfort but it was later confirmed that both were suffering from only cramp in the stifling heat.
James Vince - who opened - unfurled some of his trademark textbook drives on Tuesday
Only Chris Woakes, England's man of the year, did himself justice as he took three wickets and became the pick of England's attack despite conceding 14 off the first over of the day.
England's target looked well within reach when James Vince, given the opportunity to open in the absence of Hales, unfurled some of his trademark textbook drives but he was again guilty of giving it away when well set.
Ben Duckett, batting at three on his first senior international appearance, showed glimpses of why he is so highly regarded, not least when he pulled his second ball for four, but he struggled for timing as the pitch became slower and more two-paced and was dismissed for 29 in bizarre fashion.
Ben Duckett - batting at three - showed glimpses of why he is so highly regarded
Duckett went to reverse sweep the off-spinner Shuvagata Hom but the bat flew from his hands towards gully in the humidity and he was bowled.
When England slipped to 170 for five after Stokes was bowled the Board XI were firm favourites but Buttler joined forces with Moeen to earn an early victory, with Moeen falling with one run needed attempting to clear the ropes, ahead of Friday's third of three one-day internationals here.
No comments:
Post a Comment