Bangladesh claim first tour win to lift confidence

Bangladesh gave themselves a morale-boosting lift for the NatWest Series with England and Australia by defeating Worcestershire in yesterday's 50-over warm-up match at New Road.

Bangladesh gave themselves a morale-boosting lift for the NatWest Series with England and Australia by defeating Worcestershire in yesterday's 50-over warm-up match at New Road.

It was the first victory of the current tour for Dav Whatmore's side, who reached a modest target of 169 with 14 overs and four wickets to spare.

Although the tests ahead will be considerably more demanding, Whatmore will take heart from several promising individual performances.

Bangladesh needed 3.38 runs an over but weretroubled by Worcestershire debutant, Shoaib Akhtar, and Nadeem Malik.

Malik made the initial breakthrough when he bowled Shahriar Nafees for a duck, then Shoaib struck in his second over to have Rajin Saleh caught behind.

It became 24 for 3 when Tushar Imran edged David Wigley to second slip, and Worcestershire looked set for victory. But a stand of 82 in 13 overs between Javed Omar and Mohammad Ashraful swung the match.

Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib, having caused problems in an opening spell of 4-1-4-1, came in for heavy punishment when he returned to the attack and conceded five boundaries in 10 balls.

It was slow left-armer Ray Price who broke the stand at 106 when Omar mistimed a sweep to square-leg.

Price struck for a second time when he bowled Aftab Ahmed to leave the game in the balance at 125 for 6 but captain Habibul Bashar and Manjural Islam kept their heads to ensure victory for Bangladesh with an unbroken partnership of 44.