Colly stars as records tumble

Paul Collingwood wrote a new chapter in the history of One-Day International Cricket as England thumped Bangladesh under a shower of runs at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.

Winning his fifth toss in six matches, Michael Vaughan opted to bat and consign the Bangladeshis to a floodlit run-chase – a difficult proposition at the best of times, and following the events of England’s innings, next to impossible.

England welcomed Ashley Giles back to the side in place of Vikram Solanki, while Hampshire’s Chris Tremlett entered the International fold for his ODI debut, in place of the rested Darren Gough, whilst Bangladesh switched openers as Shahariar Nafees replaced semi-namesake Nafees Iqbal at the top of the order.

Then the fireworks began. Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss, happily united in the ODI opening liaison, set off at a mind-blowing rate – striking boundaries with ease on all sides of the wicket. The run rate tore past six, seven, eight runs per over as Trescothick bludgeoned 22 from one Tapash Baisya over, before the Somerset left-hander fell to Nazmul Hossain, holing out to the debutant as he attempted a seventeenth boundary to add to his 85.

Nazmul struck again in his very next over, as Michael Vaughan chopped on following eight painful and scoreless deliveries before Andrew Flintoff – promoted to four – failed for the second consecutive ODI as he slogged Aftab Ahmed to the Bangladeshi skipper Habibul Bashar at long off. Even with the third wicket down, England were still scoring at more than seven an over, and it was as good as it got for the tourists.

Paul Collingwood joined Strauss in the middle as they commenced a patient stand, milking Aftab and Mohammad Rafique before assaulting the remainder of the Bangladeshi bowling lineup. Strauss eased to his century from exactly a hundred balls, and Collingwood swiftly followed from just 77, as both batsman upped their tempos and forced their partnership past 200. The Durham all-rounder struck five sixes – mainly slapped over midwicket – and ten fours in his unbeaten 112 whilst the opening bat eased to a 152 that included 19 fours before Nazmul trapped him leg before wicket, but not before having wrecked Mashrafe Mortaza’s previously respectable figures with a series of inside-out flicks over fine leg.

England finished on 391-4, the second highest total in ODI history, whilst Strauss’ knock was the third highest by an Englishman and his stand of 210 with Collingwood the third biggest for his country. In reply, Bangladesh never had a chance. It wasn’t an uneventful chase, however.

Chris Tremlett, on debut, instantly made inroads into the Tigers’ top order. Shahariar Nafees chopped on, then Tushar Imran feathered the very next ball behind to the increasingly safe hands of Geraint Jones. The hat-trick ball, received by Mohammad Ashraful, was chopped downwards and backwards onto his stumps, landing on the leg bail with no little force only for the woodwork to remain undisturbed.

Reprieved, Ashraful assaulted the English bowlers with more intent and more effect than any of the English top order achieved, striking eleven fours and three sixes – two hooked in Steve Harmison’s first over – as he raced to fifty from 21 balls. It took Collingwood’s slower ball to break through his defences for a 52-ball 94, attempting to recreate Strauss’ flicks to leg, to herald the beginning of the Bangladeshi end.

A combination of leading edges, chop-ons and play-and-misses then pre-empted a Bangladeshi collapse as, without Ashraful, they were unable to stay with the asking rate. The 6ft 8in Tremlett collected the final two wickets, but meanwhile Paul Collingwood struck six times to destroy the Bangladeshi middle order. In the process, he became the first Englishman to take six wickets in an ODI and the only man ever to combine the six-haul with a ton – the closest anyone had come before was a hundred and five strikes – achieved by the none-too-shabby Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards.

Despite Michael Vaughan’s groin strain, that may rule him out of the next match, Bangladesh finished on 223 all out, 168 runs shy of their opponents. It’s Australia once again on Thursday – under the lights at Durham’s Riverside – could it be five?

England 391-4
Andrew Strauss 152, Paul Collingwood 112*
Nazmul Hossain 3-83, Aftab Ahmed 1-65

Bangladesh 223
Mohammad Ashraful 94, Javed Omar 59
Paul Collingwood 6-31, Chris Tremlett 4-32

England won by 168 runs

CricketWeb Player of the Match
Paul Collingwood (England) – 112* and 6-31