WICKET! Anamul Haque run out 29 (Bangladesh 84-4)
Yuck. Another running mix-up this time brings the demise of Anamul Haque. He thinks there’s a single as Mahmudullah pushes into the offside, Mahmudullah sends him back, and a direct hit sees him run out by yards.
15th over: Bangladesh 84-3 (Mahmudullah 19, Anamul Haque 29) Argh! What a mess here! Mahmudullah prods into the off and there’s definitely a single there, but there’s too much hesitation, a mid-pitch cartoon what-are-you-doing-here? moment and then just a split second as the fielder threw at the stumps when both batsmen started scrambling towards the same end. Somehow they survive that muddle, the throw missing. Mahmudullah pulls for four to settle the nerves. This pair look pretty happy against Perera. Eight from the over.
14th over: Bangladesh 76-3 (Mahmudullah 13, Anamul Haque 27) Anamul’s continued presence at the crease means this is currently playing on a loop in my head:
And it’s really too early for that sort of thing. He plays out five dots as Herath twirls in again, dinking a single to square leg off the last.
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13th over: Bangladesh 75-3 (Mahmudullah 13, Anamul Haque 26) Another change: here comes the medium pace of Thisara Perera. Anamul flicks to square leg and skitters through for two and there’s nudging and nurdling aplenty, perhaps for the first time in this innings.
12th over: Bangladesh 69-3 (Mahmudullah 11, Anamul Haque 22) Rangana Herath enters the fray. There’s not much turn for him in this pitch. Four singles from the over.
11th over: Bangladesh 65-3 (Mahmudullah 10, Anamul Haque 21) Lakmal continues and Mahmudullah plonks a pull a few yards short of the man at deep backward square. It’s been a bit streaky (a bit of an understatement really: it’s been streaky as a well-made bacon sandwich) but these two have steadied things. From the last Mahmudullah plays a forward defensive, straight and smart as an army drill sergeant.
10th over: Bangladesh 60-3 (Mahmudullah 7, Anamul Haque 17) Mathews strays onto Mahmudullah’s pads and is clipped through midwicket for four for his troubles. And his line has left him here – another leggish delivery glances the pads and whistles down to fine leg for four more. Eleven from the over.
9th over: Bangladesh 49-3 (Mahmudullah 3, Anamul Haque 16) Anamul Haque, who has watched the wickets tumble from the non-striker’s end, wears one on the hip from Lakmal and doubles up in discomfort. He responds by chipping one a foot over the outstretched arm of a leaping Dilshan at point. And from the last ball of the over he’s dropped for the second time – an attempted straight drive over the top can’t beat the backpeddling Mathews at mid off, but the Sri Lanka captain can’t cling on to the catch.
8th over: Bangladesh 46-3 (Mahmudullah 3, Anamul Haque 13) Sri Lanka have had their review reinstated as Snicko was on the blink for that earlier edge behind. Mathews sends down a six balls of batsman-bothering accuracy.
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7th over: Bangladesh 41-3 (Mahmudullah 0, Anamul Haque 13) You can see Bangladesh being bowled out for an entertaining 140 from 100-odd balls here.
@John_Ashdown Chubby funster? Would like a proper definition in order to re-use at own convenience. Tks.
— Browngirlinthering (@Browngirlinthe0) February 26, 2015
I’d say, roughly, someone who has a bit of timber but is wearing it well. Malinga’s put on a few pounds, but it suits him and he looks to be enjoying life. Chubby funster.
WICKET! Mominul c Jayawardene c Lakmal 1 (Bangladesh 41-3)
Lakmal has switched ends and this is a strange one. The new batsman Mominul has a swipe outside off, Sangakkara collects and throws the ball to his slip fielder. Everyone else, though, is appealing for a catch. They opt for the review, there’s no obvious deflection, no Snicko available and no reversal of the not out decision. Jayawardene and co then surround Paul Reiffel football-style in protest. Not very edifying. They’ve barely calmed down by the time Lakmal finds a proper edge from the next and Jayawardene takes a very tricky shin-high catch in the slips.
6th over: Bangladesh 41-2 (Mominul Haque 1, Anamul Haque 13) That was a thoroughly entertaining cameo from Sarkar, but thoroughly entertaining cameos aren’t really what Bangladesh need here.
WICKET! Sarkar c Sangakkara b Mathews 25 (Bangladesh 40-2)
Angelo Mathews has seen enough of Sarkar driving Lakmal to the cover boundary and brings himself on to replace his opening bowler. Then … cripes, where has this come from? Anamul Haque spots the short one coming and crashes a pull into the stands at square leg for six! Cracking shot. This isn’t though – Mathews tempts Sarkar with a full wide one, Sarkar chases it like a terrier after a stick, and feathers an edge through to the keeper.
5th over: Bangladesh 33-1 (Sarkar 25, Haque 6) Malinga again has the batsmen in all kinds of trouble, a slower ball flummoxes Sarkar, gets the leading edge, but just plops over the man at short midwicket. He has them pinned down thus far – just two from the over.
4th over: Bangladesh 31-1 (Sarkar 24, Haque 5) Lakmal gets some treatment here. Sarkar drives on the up and sends the ball whistling through the covers for four. Lakmal responds by coming round the wicket but the batsman plants him wide of mid off for another boundary, then drives majestically for four more. That last drive was the best of the bunch: a shot so attractive you could stick it on a giant billboard in its pants, teeth sparkling, six-pack bulging.
3rd over: Bangladesh 17-1 (Sarkar 11, Haque 5) Malinga might be a bit of a chubby funster these days but he’s lost none of his zip. He seems to be enjoying his semi-retirement. Anamul Haque, though, latches onto a short one and pulls slightly uppishly away for his first boundary.
2nd over: Bangladesh 13-1 (Sarkar 11, Haque 1) Suranga Lakmal takes the new ball at the other end. I do think it’s hugely important that Sri Lanka’s seamers who are not called Malinga provide support. You know what you’re going to get from Malinga and Herath but they’ll need back up if the team want to go deep into the tournament.
Lakmal should have a wicket with his third ball here – Haque has a bit of a slog, skews the ball skywards, but Dilshan gets himself in a right old pickle underneath it and barely gets a finger on it. He wasn’t bad with the bat earlier on, so we’ll let him off that one. Sarkar, settling nicely, responds with a lovely cut away for four more.
1st over: Bangladesh 6-1 (Sarkar 6, Haque 0) There was just a hint of inswing from Malinga in that wicket-taking delivery but I don’t think Tamim Iqbal will be too impressed himself when he looks back at it. Sarkar survives a toe-crushing yorker then pings a low full-toss straight down the ground for a boundary that gets this Bangladesh innings under way. There’s a huge shout from the last as Malinga again arrows one onto Sarkar’s metatarsals but it’s just slipping down leg. The Slinger looks up for this one, though.
WICKET! Iqbal b Malinga 0 (Bangladesh 0-1)
Tamim Iqbal goes second ball! It’s a fizzing delivery from Malinga and it looks like Iqbal’s been done for pace. He pokes forward at a length ball but it zips past the outside edge and clatters into the off stump.
The players are back out. Lasith Malinga has the new ball in hand …
Games against Sri Lanka at the World Cup don’t hold particularly happy memories for Bangladesh. In 2007 there was this hammering in Trinidad – a 198-run D/L defeat – and back in 2003 there was this …
The target of 333 obviously looks a tall order for Bangladesh, but this should be an entertaining chase regardless. They’re not the sort of side to die wondering. Expect them to give it a bit of oomph.
Thanks Russ. Hello everyone. So it has been another day of landmarks in the Cricket World Cup. Dilshan’s 161 not out is the highest score by a Sri Lankan at the tournament and the biggest ODI innings without a six. Sangakarra scored his fastest ODI century in his 400th match. And Afghanistan pipped Scotland in another associate v associate classic in Dunedin to record their first ever World Cup win.
That’s it from me
My colleague John Ashdown will take you through the Bangladesh innings in his inimitable manner, but what is there left to say about this batting effort by Sri Lanka?
They were helped, needless to say, by horrendous fielding and uninspired bowling efforts by Bangladesh. Catches were dropped, run-outs and stumpings missed and there remained throughout the sense that even clear-cut chances would be hopelessly spurned.
Tillkaratne Dilshan ended up undefeated on 161 from 146 deliveries, an innings from the very top drawer. At the other end Kumar Sangakkara flayed the Bangladeshis to all corners in his own undefeated ton. His 105 came from just 76 deliveries. Earlier on, Lahiru Thirimanne rode his luck to 52 off 78 before Bangladesh finally held on to a catch. That was their only joy so far in a punishing afternoon in the field. They probably want to head home now.
Their captain Mashrafe Mortaza tried hard but received little support from his men. Rubel Hossain took a wicket but also got taken apart at times. In summary: these bowlers were uninspired.
Thanks for your company today and enjoy the Bangladesh chase.
Sangakkara reaches his hundred and Sri Lanka post 332
50th over: Sri Lanka 332-1 (Dilshan 161, Sangakkara 105)
He’s been belted today but Taskin is given one last over to finish his allotment. Sangakarra needs only a single ball to bring up his hundred when he crunches through cover for one. That ton came up off 73 balls and featured 12 fours and a six. We’re a little numb to his brilliance at this point but it was another masterclass of ODI batting. He’s like a kid who has clocked a video game but just feels compelled to keep doing it over and over again out of either boredom or the pleasing routine of it all.
There follows four to Dilshan, who clips a really filthy full toss down to the fine leg boundary to help this pair to their 200 partnership. Taskin then bowls a comical wide; a bouncer that flies a good metre above Dilshan’s head. Then something even more bizarre happens when he manages a dot ball. Imagine that! He makes up for it by hammering the next for four, obviously.
There ends the Sri Lankan innings - a commanding performance that leaves Bangladesh with the mountainous target of 333.
Dilshan brings up 150!
49th over: Sri Lanka 310-1 (Dilshan 153, Sangakkara 97)
Rubel Hossain is entrusted with the 49th over and Sangakkara starts it with a single that moves him to 97. Dilshan bunts for one and then Sangakkara reaches 98 by clipping through cover. It would be a crime if he didn’t get a ton.
Speaking of milestones, Dilshan brings up 150 by smashing a Rubel full toss over the head of mid on for another boundary. What an innings this has turned into. It came off 143 balls and included 21 fours now. Sangakarra gets a single to move to 99 and he’ll retain the strike. Everyone wins there.
48th over: Sri Lanka 309-1 (Dilshan 148, Sangakkara 96)
Mashrafe brings Shakib back for his final over of the innings which is probably the best course of action, all things considered. He’s conceded only 42 from his 9 overs. Wicketless overs, it’s needless to say. Bangladesh’s only breakthrough of the afternoon feels like a fever dream at this point; even Shakib is being slogged for boundaries.
Sri Lanka move past 300 when Dilshan tucks the spinner around the corner for four more to fine leg, then he reverse swipes another through what should have been third man and finishes with one more to fine leg. This is quite brutal now.
47th over: Sri Lanka 296-1 (Dilshan 136, Sangakkara 95)
Dilshan is just creaming it now. Mashrafe returns with a short one outside off stump and the Sri Lankan opener just clatters him over point for a boundary, then clobbers another through cover.
All of a sudden Sangakkara’s remaining opportunities to bring up a century are ebbing away but he’s back on strike to Mashrafe’s third ball and duly pumps it high over extra cover for a four that takes him within 6 runs of his milestone.
46th over: Sri Lanka 282-1 (Dilshan 127, Sangakkara 90)
Mahmudullah continues and that is a-okay for Kumar Sangakkara, who fills his boots with a glorious lofted square drive over the head of point. That four is followed by two into the deep on the leg side and then one down the ground. A hundred is in sight now for the champ though he is nutmegged by a ball that goes perilously close to taking his off stump.
45th over: Sri Lanka 274-1 (Dilshan 127, Sangakkara 83)
Dilshan is treating Taskin like a stolen car now. He eyes up some width at the start of the over and sprays a boundary over extra cover and then tries unsuccessfully to hit the next one over the Hilton Hotel at the edge of Yarra Park. He’s better when he keeps things a little more low-key, plundering four more along the ground past the bowlers’ foot and then artfully flicking another boundary off his toes down to the vacant fine leg region.
Taskin thinks it can’t get much worse but then his final delivery is just murdered through cow for another four. 16 came from that over - all boundaries - and Taskin now has the unflattering figures of 0-70 fro 9 overs.
The 150 partnership is also up for this pair and it came off 123 balls.
44th over: Sri Lanka 258-1 (Dilshan 111, Sangakkara 83)
With Mahudullah operating at the southern end, Dilshan unleashes the kind of audacious switch hit that would almost make you feel as though he doesn’t really rate the bowler all that much. He fails to connect but Sangakkara doesn’t a few balls later when he flogs the hapless spinner for another pair of boundaries, the latter a classic slog sweep to a fine deep square leg.
43rd over: Sri Lanka 247-1 (Dilshan 110, Sangakkara 74)
More overthrows! Sangakkara hits and runs - ridiuclously so - but the throw at the stumps is so wide that it flies away to third man for a bonus run. It’s like Bangladesh have sub-contracted their fiedling to Phil Tufnell. Somehow only 8 runs come from the over.
42nd over: Sri Lanka 239-1 (Dilshan 106, Sangakkara 70)
How much worse an this Bangladeshi fielding effort get? Well, I didn’t think it was possible for it to deteriorate any further but I’ve just seen it with my own eyes. Rubel drops short and Sangakkara slashes him straight to the man at gully but the straightforward chance to Mominul is shelled and then three overthrows ensue. Horrific stuff. Not even comical, just tragic.
That error is compounded the next ball, which is lapped over fine leg for another Dilshan boundary. Oh dear. Bangladesh are just disintegrating here. Then after a single, Sangakkarra rubs it in even further by hammering Rubel for a towering straight six. This is x-rated stuff at the MCG. The telecast needs a censor. Just put a paper bag over your TV and leave the room.
Dilshan reaches his century
41st over: Sri Lanka 224-1 (Dilshan 101, Sangakkara 60)
With Shakib continuing and Sangakkara reverse-sweeping his first delivery for three, Dilshan has a chance to bring up his milestone. On 98 he moves one step closer by batting one down into the off side and his parnter feeds him back the strike.
Dilshan brings up his hundred in the kind of comical circumstances that only this shambolic Bangladeshi could suffer, sending a thick inside-edge past the keeper and down to fine leg. It hasn’t been his flashiest ton but it’s a superb effort to have his side in the box seat.
That hundred took 115 balls and included 10 fours.
40th over: Sri Lanka 217-1 (Dilshan 98, Sangakkara 56)
Sabbir Rahman bowling hasn’t been a disaster so far but you’d think that the Sri Lankan pair will get stuck into him in these last 10 or so overs. His over only goes for 7 but that is more good luck than good management as Sangakkara fails on a couple of occasions to capitalise on deliveries he’d identified as boundary-balls.
Sangakkara brings up his half-century
39th over: Sri Lanka 210-1 (Dilshan 97, Sangakkara 52)
Shakib switches to the Members end now, hoping that a change of scenery will bring about a wicket or even just an ened to the procession of boundaries. Neither eventuates and Sangakkara brings up his half-century by slog sweeping him to deep square leg.
That 50 came off 45 balls with 8 fours. It’s been a super knock. Can he get a ton?
38th over: Sri Lanka 203-1 (Dilshan 96, Sangakkara 47)
He’s been gong about it a little quieter than Sangakkara in the last half an hour but Dilshan is within reach of a century now. He’s content to just plod along as his flashier teammate does the heavy lifting an that’s not a bad idea the way Sanga’s batting.
37th over: Sri Lanka 196-1 (Dilshan 94, Sangakkara 42)
Mashrafe is merely looking to limit the damage at this point but even he has no answer to Sangakkara’s class when the lefty frees up some space outside his off stump and just pummels the ball past the umpires’ hat for four. The over finishes with a misfield, which is probably what these Bangladeshis will also be doing in their sleep tonight.
36th over: Sri Lanka 186-1 (Dilshan 93, Sangakkara 33)
Okay, back to a firmer reality of cricket; Sangakkara and Dilshan handing out a lesson. Not even the experienced Shakib can stop them at the moment and as if to emphasize that, Sangakkara gets down on one knee and pumps the spinner over cow for an emphatic boundary. Geez we’ll miss Sanga when he’s gone. Do we take him for granted a little?
If you’re wanting the full stadium experience - and that stadium experience is “2012” - the MCG DJ is now playing Gangnam Style.
35th over: Sri Lanka 179-1 (Dilshan 92, Sangakkara 28)
Mashrafe returns for another trundle - an over in which he concedesa pair of twos to Dilshan - but I have to admit that my mind is still across the ditch.
Afghanistan have won! Can you believe it??? This World Cup is off chops! Brilliant. To make it even better, the cult hero of the tournament if you’re asking me - paceman Shapoor Zadran - was the man who hit the winning boundary. That is just magnificent. I want to get a Shapoor tattoo. He’s a genius. A load cheer goes up around the MCG as news is relayed that the Afghanis have triumphed. A wonderful moment for cricket.
34th over: Sri Lanka 175-1 (Dilshan 88, Sangakkara 28)
Shakib is back now and I guess the hope of the captain is that his experience in these important overs will produce a wicket or two. He doesn’t for now and he cops the Sangakkara treatment too, creamed for another boundary through cover.
This tweet summarises my mood right now. C’mon Afghanistan!
@rustyjacko I am frantically refreshing my phone instead of looking at actual Kumar Sangakkara.
— miriam kimber (@miriamlaila) February 26, 2015
33rd over: Sri Lanka 168-1 (Dilshan 86, Sangakkara 23)
Taskin gets us back under way after the drinks break and I must say I’m currently very envious of anyone watching the trhilling finish to the Afghanistan-Scotland game. Sounds like a classic.
Things are a little less exciting here at the MCG for now as we move through the middle-over portion of proceedings., though Sangakkara drives classically for four to underline the fact that no matter how far the advancement of bats and techniques, the old favouites will always have their appeal.
And then....with something approaching inevitability...a return chance to Taskin is dropped. It was a great effort from the bowler, to be totally fair, but they’re dropping everything today. I’ve lost count.
32nd over: Sri Lanka 162-1 (Dilshan 85, Sangakkara 18)
Mahmudullah gets the Dilshan treatment now and gets pounded for a boundary through cover when he drags one of his offies down short. With minimal exertion the Sri Lankan pair take 9 from the over as they continue to charge. With that, we’ll take another drink.
31st over: Sri Lanka 154-1 (Dilshan 79, Sangakkara 16)
Now it’s Taskin’s turn to cop some stick. He bangs one in short but Dilshan just contemptuously flicks it through the gully region to pick up a boundary beyond the despairing lunge of the man at wide third man. It’s all just far too easy for Sri Lanka now as their run rate starts to approach the 5 per over mark. Was I under-shooting with that 320 prediction?
30th over: Sri Lanka 147-1 (Dilshan 73, Sangakkara 15)
You can’t accuse Mashrafe of letting things slide today. Now he brings the spinner Mahmudullah back but after being nudged for a series of singles his bowler is let down by the man at cover, who fails to stop a Sangakkara cut and concedes a boundary in the process. It’s all just a bit ragged at the moment.
29th over: Sri Lanka 140-1 (Dilshan 71, Sangakkara 10)
Though the first four letters of his name hint at an unfortunate case of nominative determinism, Rubel Hossain is doing a decent containment job here. This over costs just three singles and Rubel is really cursing himself about the last, which Dilshan really whacked around the corner to fine leg.
Meanwhile, I really wish I had a screen showing this game within my line of sight:
40 to win off 28 balls...we've got another thriller on the cards! LIVE here http://t.co/sdLqAqXPn0 #AFGvSCO #cwc15 pic.twitter.com/aSbXOE8fL7
— ICC (@ICC) February 26, 2015
28th over: Sri Lanka 137-1 (Dilshan 69, Sangakkara 9)
My hunch about Mashrafe holding himself back for later has proven correct. Captaincy is dead easy in the comfort of the press box, I tell you. Fresh from his catch, Taskin returns at the southern end. He’s too straight, Taskin, and only poses a wicket-taking threat if these Sri Lankan batsmen lose their heads completely.
That’s been the story of Bangladesh’s day so far; they’ve relied upon mistakes and even then, only taken their chance on one occasion. Sri Lanka should be aiming for nothing less than 320 here.
27th over: Sri Lanka 133-1 (Dilshan 68, Sangakkara 6)
Kumar Sangakkara is off and running now. He’s picked up Rubel’s pace immediately and duly deposits the paceman for a high, looping boundary over the head of the keeper Mushfiqar. That one dropped just short of the rope, dead straight. You can’t really set a field to that.
Meanwhile...
The Associates match at Dunedin is getting interesting. Scotland need two wickets, Afghanistan 49 off 40. #tense
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) February 26, 2015
26th over: Sri Lanka 127-1 (Dilshan 66, Sangakkara 1)
I like this, I like it a lot. Keen to press home the advantage of that wicket, skipper Mashrafe has brought himself back on to try and prize out another before things slide away again. He’s lost a bit of his zip from earlier, but none of his beady-eyed intensity.
Once Dilshan is off strike, Sangakkara is able to nudge into the cover region and get off the mark with a low-intensity single. Mashrafe is negotiated with depressing ease and might actually consider saving his remaining three overs for later now, you’d think.
25th over: Sri Lanka 122-1 (Dilshan 63, Sangakkara 0)
Things won’t necessarily get any better from here for Bangladesh, mind you. Kumar Sangakkara has arrived at the crease in this his 400th ODI appearance and with half the innings up his sleeve and a fairly tame attack to contend with, he might be a real handful.
The over ends to the strains of David Bowie’s ‘Let’s Dance’ over the PA, which is never a bad thing.
Thirimanne c Taskin b Rubel Hossain 52 (Sri Lanka 122-1)
Finally Thirimanne exhausts his reserves of luck. Facing up to Rubel he leans back and flicks a short one high towards the third man boundary but Taskin in the deep moves around quickly to take a catch perilously close to the ground, lunging forward. Mushrafe might have had a few heart palpitations then but Bangladesh have finally held a catch.
Thirimanne brings up his half-century
24th over: Sri Lanka 120-0 (Dilshan 62, Thiramanne 51)
If you’re on the verge of a half-century, Sabbir Rahman’s gentle off-spin is probably not the worst bowling to face. Lahiru Thirimanne brings up that milestone in 79 balls. It’s hardly been a vintage innings but he’s certainly laid a solid platform for a big score.
23rd over: Sri Lanka 114-0 (Dilshan 58, Thiramanne 49)
Bangladesh need some kind of circuit breaker. A wicket would be ideal, but a minor injury to Rubel Hossain - caused when he sticks his foot out to stop a straight drive from Dilshan - will have to do for now.
After some minor treatment, Rubel recovers and bowls with the kind of heat this game has been lacking for the last half hour. Not wicket-taking heat, mind, but at least the kind of intensity that asks questions of this batting pair. Otherwise they’re cruising.
22nd over: Sri Lanka 109-0 (Dilshan 54, Thiramanne 48)
Mashrafe gives Shakib a rest from the southern end but brings on another spinner in Sabbir Rahman. His bowling luck is about the same as his captain’s when he tempts Thirimanne down the crease, beats him all ends up but watches on in horror as Mushfiqar botches a simple stumping to continue his deplorable day behind the stumps.
What is going on out there? Bangladesh are just serving this game up on a platter to the Sri Lankans.
Dilshan brings up his half-century
21st over: Sri Lanka 103-0 (Dilshan 53, Thiramanne 43)
Taskin Ahmed has done a reasonable job of containment in the last few overs but it feels like Dilshan is trying to up the ante a little now, so he gets forward and slams the medium pacer down the ground for four and then tries to cut him for another.
The run rate is hovering around 4.60 but that will lift significantly if Dilshan can keep playing strokes like the scything cover drive that races away to the boundary from Taskin’s fifth delivery. Better still is a follow-up pull, which rockets out to the fence at cow corner. That brings up Dilshan’s 50 from 59 balls. He really had to bide his time to begin with but it’s growing into a serious knock. He’s hit eight boundaries so far.
20th over: Sri Lanka 90-0 (Dilshan 41, Thiramanne 42)
Mahmudullah appears again now at the southern end with minimal impact. He’s chipped around to start with and then Dilshan gets expansive from the final delivery of the over, pulling him for four to keep things ticking along nicely.
19th over: Sri Lanka 83-0 (Dilshan 37, Thiramanne 40)
If he’s recovered his line and length reasonably well, Taskin looks a little toothless from the Members end. He’s all pumping arms and ankle torque at the crease but there’s not much grunt from the engine. He’s managed a maiden though, so there’s that.
18th over: Sri Lanka 83-0 (Dilshan 37, Thiramanne 40)
Another cheap over from Shakib, in which he concedes three singles. There’s no great sense of urgency anywhere at the ground other than the Sri Lankan brass band, who continue to excel.
17th over: Sri Lanka 80-0 (Dilshan 35, Thiramanne 39)
Taskin Ahmed returns to the attack after the drinks break and though it’s not hard to improve on his terrible opening over, improve he does. A pair of singles and a two are the only damage. Bangladesh are containing to an extent here, but they really don’t look likely to force the breakthrough at the moment.
16th over: Sri Lanka 76-0 (Dilshan 32, Thiramanne 38)
Shakib continues to burn through overs with stealth and subterfuge. He’s milked for a couple of singles before Thirimanne feels compelled to take a risk in lofting an inside-out drive over the head of the man at cover. He picks up two but Shakib will never mind the odds on a shot like that.
That, my friends, is drinks.
15th over: Sri Lanka 71-0 (Dilshan 31, Thiramanne 34)
Things are getting far more festive here at the MCG. There’s a quite wonderful Sri Lankan horn section in front of us and as their magnficent efforts reach a crescendo, Dilshan gets in the spirit by creaming a cover drive for four. The band get louder, feeding off his energy as he seemed to off theirs. How could you not love World Cup cricket?
14th over: Sri Lanka 62-0 (Dilshan 25, Thiramanne 31)
Shakib wheels away doing his thing again, conceding two to the productive Dilshan but there’s nothing else hittable. Did you see what Brad Haddin said about the world’s number one all-rounder in the lead-up to the washed out Brisbane game? He said he’d be “looking to make a name for himself”.
Brad, I’m going to stop you there mate...
13th over: Sri Lanka 60-0 (Dilshan 23, Thiramanne 31)
He hasn’t covered himself in glory in the field, but Mahmudullah’s spin replaces Mushrafe at the members end. He’s too flat and fast to threaten for a wicket but containment is probably his aim to start with. The Sri Lankan pair, for their part, look like they’re just eyeing him up before they decide how to proceed.
12th over: Sri Lanka 58-0 (Dilshan 22, Thiramanne 30)
Like all good ODI spinners, Shakib’s overs seem to slide by in no time, giving batsmen little to work with. In no time he’s fired down four dots and conceded just the one single to Thirimanne and that’s the only score of the over. What will happen now at the other end though? Surely Mushrafe needs a rest.
11th over: Sri Lanka 57-0 (Dilshan 22, Thiramanne 29)
The Bangladesh captain is cutting quite a forlorn figure at the moment, but he keeps charging in with intent if not the same energy through the crease as in his first couple of overs. Dilshan drives his third delivery here for a handsome two through cover before pulling the last tired effort from Mushrafe past the man at short mid wicket and out to the boundary. Poor Mushrafe, I think he needs a hug.
10th over: Sri Lanka 51-0 (Dilshan 16, Thiramanne 29)
After one shambolic over, Taskin Ahmed is banished and replaced by the wily spin of Shakib Al Hasan. He draws an edge from Thiramanne with his third delivery but it flies past the left hand of a flat-flooted Mahmudullah at slip. Will Thiramanne set a new record today for the most chances given in a single ODI innings? Surely he’s on track.
Sri Lanka’s 50, meanwhile, comes from 57 balls. They’re not even trying yet.
9th over: Sri Lanka 46-0 (Dilshan 14, Thiramanne 26)
Mushrafe continues from the Members end in this penetrative but luckless spell, which gets worse when his fifth ball takes Thiramanne’s edge and flies straight between Mushfiqar and the man at first slip. The keeper should have gobbled that up. Terrible stuff again. He just watched it fly by as though it wasn’t, you know, his job to catch it.
It flies away for a boundary and Mushrafe is a very frustrated man now. Fair enough too, he’s getting no support for his excellent spell.
8th over: Sri Lanka 40-0 (Dilshan 14, Thiramanne 20)
Mushrafe has lost his patience with Rubel now so he brings on Taskin Ahmed for his first trundle of the afternoon. There must be something about the southern end today because the bowler immediately replicates the wide-bowling of the man he replaced before being spanked through cover for a boundary by the gleeful Dilshan. In summary: not an impressive start by the new bowler.
He’s being counselled by his captain after that first four but whatever is said doesn’t help because two balls later he drops one short and can only grimace as Dilshan rocks back and deposits it to the mid-wicket boundary with an attractive pull.
The over finishes with a shy at the stumps but Dilshan picks up two with a deflection off the stumps. It’s been that kind of start from Bangladesh. They’re not exactly helping themselves, either.
7th over: Sri Lanka 28-0 (Dilshan 4, Thiramanne 19)
His partner might be bowling like a drain, but Mushrafe continues to pose troubles for the left-handed Thiramanne. Two dots are followed by another out-swerver that almost takes an edge on the way through to Mushfiqar. Thiramanne recovers by whipping three between mid-wicket and mid-on but he’s looked susceptible at this end.
Poor Dilshan can’t quite find his groove yet, starved of opportunity and then when it comes, denied scoring opportunities by Mushrafe’s impeccable line and length.
6th over: Sri Lanka 25-0 (Dilshan 4, Thiramanne 16)
Dilshan’s not getting much of the strike at the moment but it doesn’t seem to be troubling him. A single from the first ball has him at the non-strikers end to witness a continuation of the wide-bowling clinic by Rubel, who is really racking them up. Thirmanne cashes in on more wayward offerings with a two and a three to finish the over.
5th over: Sri Lanka 17-0 (Dilshan 3, Thiramanne 11)
You get the sense that Sri Lanka are very keen to exploit weaknesses in the Bangladeshi fielding here. Dilshan pats one back to mid-on at a pace that common sense would suggest any run would be suicidal but he takes off and makes his ground with ease as a result of a series of fumbles.
It’s the only score of another tidy Mashrafe over but there’s a lethargy about Bangladesh here. Watch this space.
Scotland need to ensure they do not let this drift. Must look for wickets. Make something happen. #CWC15 #AFGvSCO
— Anand Vasu (@anandvasu) February 26, 2015
4th over: Sri Lanka 16-0 (Dilshan 2, Thiramanne 11)
Rubel Hossain is nothing if not enthusiastic. He concedes a pair of singles to start the over but then sends down a steepling bouncer that at least gets Thiramanne ducking. There’s another wide too (of course) and then Thiramanne finishes with an uppish two through mid-wicket.
This gives you an idea of how things are panning out in the other game:
Afghoneistan? #CWC15
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) February 26, 2015
3rd over: Sri Lanka 11-0 (Dilshan 1, Thiramanne 8)
The MCG wifi is working about as well as Bangladesh’s slips catching at the moment but amid a flurry of muffled expletives from yours truly, Mushrafe is picked off for a few singles before Thiramanne again goes close to perishing when he guides streakily past the diving hands of the man at gully. Like Steven Tyler in 1993, he’s living on the edge.
2nd over: Sri Lanka 8-0 (Dilshan 0, Thiramanne 6)
Rubel Hossain again partners his skipper with the new ball but where his offsider was deadly accurate, Rubel is wayward. There’s two wides in his first three attempts, both down the legside, and otherwise he’s far too straight to the left-handed Thiramanne. Energetic but ineffectual is what you’d call it so far.
With a few of those sighters and behind him and having already been granted a life, Thiramanne compounds the Bangladesh errors by peeling off a masterful cover drive for four.
1st over: Sri Lanka 1-0 (Dilshan 0, Thiramanne 1)
Mashrafe takes the new ball for Bangladesh and he’s right on the mark to start with. His second delivery thuds awkwardly into Thiramanne’s midriff and the next swerves tantalizingly close to a flashing outside edge. Better is the next delivery, which takes the edge but is deplorably put down by Anamul at slip. A dropped catch in the first over!
What a horrendous start to Bangladesh’s fielding effort. It floated in the air for an eternity before reaching Anamul and after a shambolic juggling attempt he grassed it. Oh dear. Poor Mashrafe.
Anthems and milestones
As both sides head out for their respective national anthems - both classics of the genre, if you ask me - it’s worth pointing out that this game is Kumar Sangakkara’s 400th ODI appearance.
It’s an amazing feat, isn’t it? Imagine doing anything well 400 times, let alone that thing being ‘performing like an absolute legend in one-day international cricket matches’. The man is a marvel. He should have his own anthem.
Updated
Our teams today
Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqar Rahim (wk), Mominul Haque, Sabbir Rahman, Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed
Sri Lanka: Thirimanne, Dilshan, Sangakkara, Karunaratne, Jayawardene, Mathews, Chandimal, Perera, Herath, Malinga, Lakmal
Crowd update: there’s now far more people in stadium seats than out on the ground, lots of Bangladeshis among them.
Some cricket reading while we wait for this game to begin
If you were under a rock yesterday, English cricket has been mildly scandalized by the release of a document pertaining to fundamental changes to the domestic game with these being proposed as incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves prepares to sink into his plush, but no-doubt ergonomically sound office chair.
This document even has a special name, one that seems so apt in the hotbed of corporate creativity that is English cricket; ‘Strategy Conversation Summary’. Never let people tell you that cricket isn’t a sexy game. Even KP likes it. Well, parts of it.
Shane Watson, meanwhile, thinks he’s going to cop some stick from the Kiwi crowd. I think he’s probably right there. Perceptive bloke, our Shane.
@rustyjacko @guardian_sport make some noise for Bangladesh..
— shakawat rappy (@RappyShakawat) February 26, 2015
AAArrrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The toss - Sri Lanka to bat
I’m a little short on audio here so am relying on body language as the two skippers wander out to the middle but it would appear as though Angelo Matthews has won it and Sri Lanka will bat. He has. The scoreboard helpfully says so.
The Sri Lankan form guide
Months ago you would have looked at the schedule and called the Sri Lankans raging favourites today but it would be a major understatement to say they’ve been unimpressive both in the lead-up and early of this World Cup. The top order was a rabble against Bangladesh, the bowlers looked tired and as has so often been the case, it was left to Mahela Jayawardene to clean up the mess.
In their opening fixture against New Zealand, the Lankan bowlers were battered for 331 with their frontliners Malinga and Kulasekara going at 8.4 and 9.75 an over respectively. Then Afghanistan played them with relative comfort to post 232. Malinga in particular looked far older than his 31 years and the accuracy of his variations deserted him. Kulesekara was just dismantled. Bangladesh don’t boast batting as explosive as McCullum and co, but this is a bowling attack ripe for the picking.
The batting has been patchy, though you have to feel that Kumar Sangakkara is due some big runs and Angelo Matthews is ever-reliable. Most of their key performers have the experience with the venue that their opponents lack. Yet the possibility of disaster lingers a little too ominously, I feel. This is a danger game for Sri Lanka, make no mistake.
The Bangladesh form guide
With the Brisbane wash-out, it’s now been 8 days since the Bangladeshi’s had a hit-out. Assessing their momentum or lack thereof is a little harder than that of their opponents. Against Afghanistan in their tournament-opener, they did the job, compiling 267 on the back of a 114-run stand between fiery wicketkeeper Mushfiqar and world no. 1 all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, the superstar that we sometimes fail to acknowledge as such.
No other Bangladesh batsman passed 30 in that game but the bowling performance was clinically efficient, openers Mushrafe Mortaza and Rubel Hossain reducing the Afghanistan innings to a shambles at 3-3. Skakib chipped in with a few wickets and the 105-run win was an ideal start.
Still, I never feel capable of trusting Bangladesh. They’re perfectly capable of winning this game and if they do it shouldn’t count as a great upset but…you know…I’m just not sold on them. Am I being harsh?
The weather
…is overcast with the temperature hovering in the low 20s. That’s just how we do things in Melbourne, I guess. Hope remains though that there’ll be no rain.
Crowd watch update
Already we’re seeing the emergence of two colourful groups of spectators - the traditional Sri Lankan presence at the edge of the Olympic stand and in the Bay 13 region, a strong contingent of Bangladesh fans. Hopefully more flood through the gates in the coming hours.
Preamble
Hello OBOers and welcome to this Pool A World Cup encounter between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, coming to you live from the glorious MCG. Russell Jackson here taking you through this one. You can get me on russell.jackson@theguardian.com or via twitter: @rustyjacko with all of your observations relating to today’s game and the World Cup at large.
The stadium is hardly heaving yet to be perfectly honest, nor filled with song and dance like it was on Sunday, but a steady stream of fans are taking their positions for today’s game. It’s one that will possibly have enormous ramifications as a result of Bangladesh escaping the Gabba monsoon with a valuable and unexpected point. If they win here, England might weep. England might just wail, to be truthful.
Updated
Russell will be here shortly. In the meantime, read Dileep Premachandran on Chris Gayle’s double ton:
This match was supposed to be one of the World Cup’s sideshows – a contest between a once-great side and another that the late Peter Roebuck once referred to as the Mugabe XI. Someone forgot to tell Chris Gayle that. After lady luck – and his Instagram page suggests there is no shortage of that – reprieved him off the first ball he faced, Gayle rampaged to 215 off 147 balls at Manuka Oval in Canberra, shattering a slew of records along the way.
This was very much an innings of two halves. For 35 overs, except for the sporadic explosive stroke, both Gayle and West Indies were relatively subdued, easing to 165 for 1. After that, it was like throwing a lit match into a fireworks factory. Gayle’s second hundred took only 33 balls, as West Indies racked up 207 in the final 15 overs. Only 5,544 had come through the turnstiles but, by the innings end, they were serenading a man who has always seen himself as an entertainer first.
“He is a batsman that I would describe as a bowlers’ nightmare,” Viv Richards had written in a column for the World Cup website. “On his day, he can be very destructive. He can be a match-winner in any environment and in any match conditions. If he is on song, then the opposition can lose the match in the blink of an eye, that’s how destructive he can be.”
It was quite an endorsement for a man who had started the tournament with scores of 36 [against Ireland] and four [versus Pakistan], and whose 19 innings since his last ODI hundred had seen him average 14. Irreversible decline? As it turned out, all Gayle needed was that match.
