Cricket news round-up – 3 June: Bangladesh upend South Africa in World Cup; Sussex dominate Middlesex

Bangladesh beat South Africa by 21 runs in Match No. 5 of the ICC World Cup 2019; David Wiese and Philip Salt help Sussex gain command over Middlesex; India A need three wickets to win against Sri Lanka A; World-record pitch to be used for England v Pakistan at Trent Bridge.

Bangladesh beat South Africa by 21 runs

South Africa’s claim for their maiden World Cup title received a major blow on Sunday, 2 June when they lost their second consecutive match in the tournament, this time against Bangladesh. The Asians rode on knocks from Soumya Sarkar (42), Shakib Al Hasan (75), Mushfiqur Rahim (78) and Mahmudullah (46), the last one culminating in a flourish to take the Bangladesh score past 300, to put up 330/6 – their highest ever ODI total.

In reply, South Africa kept themselves in the game throughout the middle overs but lost momentum towards the end, finishing with 309/8. Aiden Markram (45), Faf du Plessis (62), Rassie van der Dussen (41), and JP Duminy (41) all got starts but none of them could go on to convert them into a hundred and take their side home. Mustafizur Rahman picked up 3/67 and Mohammad Saifuddin returned with two wickets.

South Africa had lost their first game of the tournament against England and now face India on 5 June with two losses registered against them.

Wiese, Salt help Sussex dominate Middlesex

David Wiese’s 5/25 helped Sussex bowl out Middlesex for 138 before Philip Salt’s 50 and Stiaan van Zyl’s 46* helped the Sharks reach 169/4, leading Middlesex by 31 runs at stumps on day 1 of their County Championship Division Two clash. Wiese ran through the Middlesex batting order picking up the wickets of Max Holden, Dawid Malan, Stephen Eskinazi, John Simpson and Toby Roland-Jones. The former South Africa international was helped by Ollie Robinson’s 3/50.

In the other clash of the day, Northamptonshire were bowled out for 209 against Glamorgan as Marchent de Lange (4/63) and Michael Hogan (3/39) kept Northants in check even as Adam Rossington (77) top scored for the hosts and helped them recover from 61/5. In reply, Glamorgan were 5/0 at stumps, trailing by 204 runs.

India A need three wickets to win

Finishing at 216/6 in their second innings at stumps on day two leading Sri Lanka A by 273 runs, India A piled up the runs on the third day of the second unofficial Test in Hubli before they were bowled out for 372. Rahul Chahar (84) and Jayant Yadav (53) shared a 123-run eighth-wicket stand to put India A in the driver’s seat.

Needing 430 runs to win, Sri Lanka A stuttered to 210/7 despite a century from Bhanuka Rajapaksa (110) as Chahar (3/73) and Shivam Dubey (2/25) troubled the Sri Lankan batsmen. India A need three wickets to win on the final day and take the two-match series – they won the first Test of the series in Belgaum – while Sri Lanka require 220 runs with just three wickets in hand.

World-record strip to be used for England v Pakistan

The same pitch on which England hammered Pakistan for a then world-record ODI total of 444 runs in 2016 and then bettered it last year by hitting 481 runs against Australia will be used in Monday’s World Cup clash between the hosts and Pakistan at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. While England have the advantage of playing at home and on a pitch where runs have flown for them, Pakistan were bowled out for 105 in their World Cup opener against the West Indies on 31 May at the same venue.

However, Pakistan bowling coach Azhar Mahmood has backed his bowlers to come out unfazed by the “best batting line-up” of England. “We know we have ability, they have skill, and they are the best batting line-up,” said Mahmood after Pakistan’s training session at Trent Bridge. “But a lot of it going on, the 480 pitch has been a world record pitch, but they have to play 300 balls to get to that record, but we have to bowl 10 good balls to get 10 wickets.”