Craig Kieswetter’s maiden ODI hundred laid the platform for England as they secured a series whitewash with a comfortable 45-run victory at Chittagong
The Bulletin by Liam Brickhill05-Mar-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Craig Kieswetter started slowly, but eventually struck nine fours and three sixes in his 107•Getty Images
Craig Kieswetter’s maiden hundred set up a comfortable 45-run victory in the third ODI at Chittagong as England sealed a 3-0 series whitewash over Bangladesh. Kieswetter’s 107 formed the backbone of England’s 284 for 5 after they were sent in to bat and the top order struggled for fluency on a sluggish pitch. His innings laid the foundation for Eoin Morgan and Luke Wright to play aggressive cameos, which boosted England’s total beyond the reach of Bangladesh’s abilities and the home side limped to 239 for 9.Kieswetter started cautiously and was content simply to occupy the crease after his early failures in the first two matches. Contrary to reputation, he was easily outscored by Alastair Cook at the start once again as the England captain managed three fours in his 32 before he was caught behind off Shakib Al Hasan in the 13th over. Kieswetter buckled down, overcoming another nervous start and a raucous appeal for lbw before he slowly came to term with conditions on a pitch that offered some assistance to the spinners.Kevin Pietersen was similarly circumspect against the slow bowlers when he first came to the crease. Just as he began to play with confidence he was pinned lbw for 22 by Razzak, despite his full forward lunge, as his struggles against left-arm spin continued.Paul Collingwood also struggled to time the ball, hitting just one four in his 36, but Kieswetter gained in confidence with every run, and brought up his fifty in the 33rd over with a rifling drive through the covers off Suhrawadi Shuvo. He opened up after reaching the milestone, cutting and driving crisply as he sped towards a hundred.Kieswetter reached the ton with a scampered single off Rubel Hossain, and celebrated by lofting the same bowler for a monstrous strike over long on before he went back to cut Razzak, but was cramped for room as the ball came in with the arm and ricocheted onto the stumps off the inside edge.Morgan profited from several lapses in Bangladesh’s fielding, being put down twice as he raced to 36 from 29 balls. He put on 67 in just over eight overs with Kieswetter as the pair matched each other shot for shot to take full toll of anything loose after England took the batting Powerplay in the 44th over.After Morgan departed Wright took over with a brutal display of power hitting. He stormed to 32 from just 13 balls, and closed the innings with a swipe over long off for six to take England’s total well beyond the abilities of Bangladesh’s combustible batting line up.The hosts’ run chase was soon in trouble, as Ajmal Shahzad struck with his third ball in one-day international cricket – just as he did against Pakistan on his England Twenty20 debut in Dubai last month – to have Tamim well caught by Tim Bresnan at third man as he slashed hard at the ball.Imrul Kayes briefly threatened to counterattack, but his dismissal brought Mushfiqur Rahim and Aftab Ahmed together, and both hit their strides quickly, running hard and putting away any loose balls. They added 56 with Ahmed striking successive boundaries off Liam Plunkett as Bangladesh’s chase began to gain momentum. He looked set for a half-century, but was then senselessly run out after setting off for a non-existent single and being sent back as Bangladesh tottered at 96 for 3.Their partnership was as good as it got for Bangladesh, as Rahim and Shakib fell after making good starts and the asking rate soon climbed towards ten an over. As victory came increasingly remote the run chase fizzled out with Naeem Islam and Mahmudullah soaking up 85 balls between them for 51 runs and Bresnan hastening the slide with a career-best 4 for 28.The win gives England a welcome return to dominance and will hand them the mental advantage ahead of the Test series, which begins at the same venue in a week’s time. Bangladesh will have some soul-searching to do after the nature of their capitulation, but will be also be able to take heart from some strong individual performances and their efforts to make England sweat at various stages.