Cricket: Canada seal upset win over Bangladesh

8.20am

DURBAN - Tournament minnows Canada pulled off the first major upset of the cricket World Cup today, beating test nation Bangladesh by a comfortable 60 runs in their opening Group B match.

Although Canada slumped after a positive start to be bowled out for a modest 180, their bowlers cashed in on a bouncy pitch to dismiss Bangladesh for just 120 in 27.2 overs.

Hannan Sarkar and Sanwar Hossain, who both made 25, were the only batsmen to offer sustained resistance as the Canadians backed up accurate outswing bowling from the dreadlocked Austin Codrington, who took five wickets, and Davis Joseph with superb fielding.

Ian Billcliff top-scored for Canada with 42 but was one of two foolish run-outs as the North Americans failed to bat out their full 50 overs.

The 30-year-old Billcliff, who has played provincial cricket in New Zealand, struck six fours in 63 balls before batting partner Ashish Bagai called him for a run in the 37th over, and then refused to move himself.

Billcliff's dismissal followed that of St Kitts-born Desmond Chumney, who blasted a quickfire 28 with three fours and a six before running himself out in the 15th over.

Canada, playing in their second World Cup and first since 1979, had made a flying start against some wayward Bangladesh bowling, reaching 70 for two before Chumney's departure triggered a collapse.

Bangladesh, the 10th and most recent addition to the test-playing nations, came into the match expecting to beat Canada convincingly and would have been disappointed that their bowlers conceded 14 wides.

The Bangladeshis, who joined the top table when awarded test status in 2000, have not won a one-day international for 26 matches, a wretched run dating back to the 1999 World Cup in England.

They had targeted wins over Canada and Kenya on the strength of their batting, with anything above that as a bonus.

Bangladesh produced one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history with their 62-run victory over Pakistan in 1999.

Canada qualified for their second appearance in the cricket's showpiece event by beating Scotland in a third-place playoff at the 2001 ICC Trophy.

Canada

I Maraj c Sanwar Hossain b Tapash Baisya 24

J Davison b Mashrafe Mortaza 8

D Chumney run out 28

I Billcliff run out 42

J Harris c Khaled Mashud b Sanwar Hossain 4

N De Groot c Alok Kapali b Sanwar Hossain 0

F Samad lbw b Alok Kapali 13

A Bagai b Mashrafe Mortaza 7

S Thuraisingam lbw b Mohammad Rafique 6

A Codrington c Tapash Baisya b Manjural Islam 16

D Joseph not out 9

Extras (7lb, 14w, 2nb) 23

Total (all out, 49.1 overs) 180

Fall: 18, 47, 70, 92, 104, 130, 134, 146, 159, 180

Bowling: Manjural Islam 8.1 overs 1 maidens 30 runs 1 wicket (1w), Mashrafe Mortaza 8-0-38-2 (2nb, 5w), Tapash Baisya 3-0-26-1 (1w). Mohammad Rafique 10-2-34-1 (5w), Sanwar Hossain 10-0-26-2 (1w), Alok Kapali 10-0-19-1 (1w)

Bangladesh

Hannan Sarkar c Bagai b Codrington 25

Al-Sahariar c sub (Samad) b Joseph 9

Habibul Bashar c Bagai b Thuraisingam 0

Ehsanul Haque c Bagai b Joseph 13

Sanwar Hossain lbw b Davison 25

Alok Kapali lbw b Codrington 19

Khaled Mashud c sub (Samad) b Davison 1

Mohammad Rafique c Davison b Codrington 12

Tapash Baisya c Sattaur b Codrington 0

Mashrafe Mortaza c Sattaur b Codrington 0

Manjural Islam not out 0

Extras (lb-2 w-24) 16

Total (all out, 28 overs) 120

Fall: 33, 44, 46, 76, 106, 108, 108, 119, 119, 120

Bowling: Joseph 8-1-42-2 (8w), Thuraisingam 6-0-34-1 (5w), Codrington 9-3-27-5 (1w), Davison 5-1-15-2

Result: Canada won by 60 runs.

- REUTERS

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