England impress with easy Bangladesh victory
England appeared in good form as the defending ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup champions defeated Bangladesh by four wickets (DLS method) in their final warm-up match for this year’s tournament on Monday in Guwahati.
It was England’s final practice before their World Cup opener against New Zealand in Ahmedabad on Thursday, and a smattering of players contributed equally to the reigning champions’ victory over the Asian side.
Reece Topley (3/23) and David Willey (2/26) along with Adil Rashid (2/27) were outstanding as Bangladesh were restricted to 188/9 in 37 overs, which was never going to be enough against England’s deep batting order.
Jonny Bairstow (34 from 21 deliveries) and captain Jos Buttler (30 off 15 balls) were in a savage mode, while experienced tandem Moeen Ali (56) and Joe Root (26*) completed a strong performance prior to their first match against the Kiwis.
Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz (74 runs) and Mustafizur Rahman (2/23 wickets) batted well, and Mustafizur Rahman took two wickets with the ball, but England’s all-around performance with bat and ball was superior.
Bangladesh will face Afghanistan in Dharamsala on Saturday, whereas England will face New Zealand in the opening match of the World Cup on Thursday.
New Zealand triumph in tight clash against South Africa
In Thiruvananthapuram, New Zealand defeated South Africa by seven runs (DLS method) as another match was interrupted by rain.
The Black Caps posted a respectable 321 runs from their allotted 50 overs, and the Proteas were at 211/4 when the skies opened.
New Zealand’s dominant performance at the crease was established by Devon Conway, who scored 78 runs before retiring.
The New Zealand captain, Kane Williamson, scored 37 runs before retiring.
Williamson’s ability to command the strike zone and sustain the innings was crucial to his team’s success in establishing a solid foundation.
Tom Latham contributed 52 runs to the scoreboard, and Glenn Philips displayed his aggressive intent with a useful 43-run stroke.
Mitchell gave the team a much-needed lift by scoring 25 quick runs at the conclusion of the inning, allowing them to surpass the 300-run threshold.
Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen efficiently headed South Africa’s bowling attack with three wickets apiece.
Their methodical bowling consistently exerted pressure on the New Zealand batsmen, preventing them from acquiring control of the game.
Quinton de Kock, the opening batsman for South Africa, displayed tremendous talent and tenacity in response to New Zealand’s demanding target, accumulating an impressive 84 runs unblemished when rain halted play.
De Kock’s innings exemplified forceful yet controlled batting, utilizing a variety of shots executed with impeccable coordination.
Rassie van der Dussen made a vital contribution to South Africa’s pursuit of the target by scoring a substantial 51 runs before departing.
Together, he and de Kock set the stage for a possible South African victory.
Henrich Klassen added to the support and demonstrated the potency of South Africa’s batting order with his 39 runs.
Trent Boult excelled with the ball for New Zealand, taking two wickets in his five-over spell while displaying impeccable line and length.
His ability to swing the ball in both directions presented the South African batsmen with a challenge and placed them on the defensive.
Unfortunately, de Kock and David Miller were in the center of the field when rain halted play.
