Day 3: Bangladesh Recover To Beat Hosts Thailand
Day 2: India and Pakistan Make It Two Wins Out Of Two In Women’s Asia Cup
November 27, 2016
Day 4: India Maintain Unbeaten Record As Cricket Ties Resume With Pakistan
November 29, 2016
Thailand’s Women last played Bangladesh exactly one year ago when Bangladesh proved far too strong for the Thai girls during the ICC Women’s World T20 Qualifier held in Bangkok last year. Here the margin of victory was much lower but the result the same as Bangladesh gained their first win of the tournament by 35 runs.
Thailand would have been encouraged by their success in the ICC Asia tournament in Hong Kong and would have been satisfied with their performance against India in the first match of the Asia Cup so the nation’s cricket followers were hoping that this would be the day that Thailand would beat one of the top four Asian countries for the first time.
Bangladesh took part in the ICC Women’s World T20 played in India in March this year and have full ODI and T20 international status but they are still ranked outside the top eight countries in women’s cricket so have not benefited from playing in the ICC Women’s Championship so Thailand were confident they could produce a surprise result against a side ranked just a few places above them.
Sornnarin Tippoch won the toss and elected to field first and Thailand were soon in the ascendancy thanks to excellent opening spells from Chanida Sutthiruang and Nattaya Boochatham who pitched the ball up and bowled with great accuracy. Each took a wicket as Bangladesh were reduced to eight for two in the sixth over and both bowled four overs apiece with the new ball as Chanida took 1 for 8 and Nattaya 1 for 5.
Thailand would have been encouraged by their success in the ICC Asia tournament in Hong Kong and would have been satisfied with their performance against India in the first match of the Asia Cup so the nation’s cricket followers were hoping that this would be the day that Thailand would beat one of the top four Asian countries for the first time.
Bangladesh took part in the ICC Women’s World T20 played in India in March this year and have full ODI and T20 international status but they are still ranked outside the top eight countries in women’s cricket so have not benefited from playing in the ICC Women’s Championship so Thailand were confident they could produce a surprise result against a side ranked just a few places above them.
Sornnarin Tippoch won the toss and elected to field first and Thailand were soon in the ascendancy thanks to excellent opening spells from Chanida Sutthiruang and Nattaya Boochatham who pitched the ball up and bowled with great accuracy. Each took a wicket as Bangladesh were reduced to eight for two in the sixth over and both bowled four overs apiece with the new ball as Chanida took 1 for 8 and Nattaya 1 for 5.
Thailand’s spinners backed by some enthusiastic fielding have been a great strength in recent times so could they build on this fantastic start and help limit Bangladesh to a low score from their 20 overs?
Bangladesh launched a recovery thanks to opener Sanjida Islam and Fargana Hoque who had some success sweeping the spinners as Sanjida hit the first boundary of the innings and the team’s fifty came up in the 14th over.
The partnership was ended as Fargana was caught by Rattana Sangsoma off the bowling of Suleeporn Laomi who had impressed observers from around the world during the ICC Women’s World T20 Qualifier in Bangkok last year. She took her second wicket as Ayasha Rahman was caught at deep extra cover and followed by having opener Sanjida caught behind for 38 from 48 balls.
Bangladesh were 62 for 5 with time running out in their innings and Suleeporn finished an excellent spell of flighted leg-spin and can be proud of her figures of 3 for 18.
Bangladesh’s tail-enders did well to 88 for 6 as 25 runs came from the last three overs but Thailand had made 69 for 5 against India the previous day so the target was by no means out of reach for the home side.
Nattakan Chantam again looked confident from the start but the move to bring Chanida Sutthiruang up the order didn’t work as she was caught at short extra-cover off Jahanara Alam first ball and Nattaya Boochatham was bowled by the next as Thailand were reduced to 7 for 2 in the first over.
Sirinitra Saengsakaorat looked solid and helped Nattakan to add 16 for the third wicket before she pushed rather meekly at leg-spinner Rumana Ahmed. Nattakan reached 21 from 23 balls before being bowled through the gate by off-spinner Khadija. Thailand were 29 for 4 with their most powerful player back in the pavilion so the home side’s task suddenly looked beyond them.
Tall seam bowler Panna Ghosh then ran through the tail to claim figures of 4 for 9 and captain Sornnarin Tippoch was last out as she was bowled by Rumana Ahmed for 10, only the second Thai player to reach double figures as her team were dismissed for 53.
Bangladesh had recovered from a bad start to gain victory by 35 runs but Thailand could reflect on letting slip a match that they had dominated for the first eight overs as their opening bowlers conceded only 13 runs and claimed two wickets. They also missed their chance to take the wicket of opener Sanjida Islam who played what proved to be a match-winning innings.
The other match of the day was a very one-sided affair as the difference in quality between Sri Lanka and Nepal was clear to see. Nepal were bowled out for 23 in 16.2 overs as Sugandika Kumari took 3 for 7 and Indika Ranaweera had remarkable figures of 3 for 3 from her 4 overs.
Nepal at least were able to claim two wickets when they took to the field as they dismissed both openers but Sri Lanka won by nine wickets as they needed only 4.3 overs to reach their target of 24. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka had claimed their first wins of the tournament while Thailand and Nepal had lost their first two matches.