Tigers begin preparations as England beckon

The preparations for the upcoming series against England officially kicked into gear yesterday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur with an intra-squad practice game keenly observed by newly-appointed head coach Chandika Hathurusingha and other coaches.

Yasir Ali Rabbi, Hasan Mahmud, Taijul Islam and Ebadot Hossain impressed during the game between Blue Team, led by ODI captain Tamim Iqbal, and Green Team, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto.

Before yesterday's session, Hathurusingha held a team meeting with all the players and coaching staff.

Tamim won the toss and elected to bat on a surface where run-making appeared a little difficult. There were plenty of moments when batters found it difficult to time their shots. Tamim, who skipped the national team's assignments against India due to injury, lasted only eight deliveries, departing to Hasan after nicking one through to the wicketkeeper after scoring two.

Taijul and Hasan held sway with the ball during the Blue Team's innings, with the former bagging Zakir Hasan, who did not anticipate the skid on the ball after scoring eight before Nurul Hasan took a fantastic diving catch to his right off the bowling of Hasan to see off Mushfiqur Rahim.

Liton Das, back for his first session following the BPL, looked good during a 49-ball 36 until Taijul's arm delivery got the better of him.

Between the fall of wickets, Yasir stitched together a 53-run stand with Aminul Islam for the eighth wicket. Jamie Siddons, watching on, encouraged from the dressing room during Yasir's 58-ball 61 before the right-hander, who remained unpicked in the ODI squad, fell trying to clear the off-side boundary. Taijul bagged four for 23 while Hasan finished with three for 20 runs as Blue Team managed 205, bowled out in 42.4 overs.

In reply, Ebadot Hossain rattled Green Team after a fast start, ignited by Shanto's 15-ball 27. Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mahmudullah Riyad and Sohan failed to get going as Green team went from 46 for 1 to 101 all out. Ebadot bagged four wickets and Mehedi Hasan Miraz bagged three as Blue Team won by 104 runs.

The Tigers will hold further preparations today, engaging in match scenario simulations with all the senior cricketers, bar Shakib Al Hasan, back in the fold.

Meanwhile, England pacer Saqib Mahmood and the team manager arrived in the country yesterday. The rest of the ODI side are slated to arrive in Dhaka today in two separate groups. With the T20 series set to follow the ODI series to begin on March 1, England's cricketers will be coming in for the white-ball series' till March 6.

The 23-member England side will hold their first practice training session at Mirpur on Saturday under Joss Butler's leadership.