Derbyshire thwack Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s poignant tour of England got worse, as they lost miserably to Derbyshire, a county clearly not having the best of times, by six wickets.

Bangladesh’s batting let them down again, being bowled out for a below-par 189 runs. Derbyshire, on a full-strength side after a long while, knocked off the target with six wickets and 11.5 overs to spare.

Bangladesh’s start was squalid, as they were reduced to 19/3, thanks to a fiery opening spell by Mo Sheikh, before the skipper Habibul Bashar and Tushar Imran carried out the resurrection act, with a fourth-wicket partnership of 80.

Another collapse followed thenceforth, hatched by Nick Walker, who had figures of 3/15 off his four overs, with only Mohammad Rafique standing out with 36, before the innings closed at 189 in the 47th over.

Derbyshire’s response didn’t get off to the best of starts either, with Walker being run out for five. However, Steve Stubbings, his opening partner, made sure that the visitors don’t even get a glimpse of a chance, by counter-attacking with a fiery 45 off 43 balls.

Jonathan Moss and Luke Sutton carried on from where Stubbings left, and brought the home county close to a victory, before the former fell for a well-made 72. Sutton remained unbeaten on 42, as he hit the winnings runs, off only the 39th over.

Bangladesh now have only one warm-up match, that against Worcestershire on Sunday, before facing England in the first match of the NatWest Series on Thursday at the Brit Oval.

Bangladesh 189 all out in 46.1 overs
Tushar Imran 40, Habibul Bashar 49, Mohammad Rafique 36, MA Sheikh 2/15, AKD Gray 2/40, NGE Walker 3/24
Derbyshire 190 for 4 in 38.1 overs
SD Stubbings 45, J Moss 72, LD Sutton 42*, Nazmul Hossain 2/37
Derbyshire won by six wickets