Bangladesh chase down record total against Scotland

Nelson, March 5 (IANS) Bangladesh performed as a batting unit to hunt down an imposing 319-run target set by minnows Scotland in a World Cup Pool A encounter at the Saxton Oval here on Thursday.

By virtue of the win, the youngest Test-playing nation achieved two unique feats -- their highest successful One-Day International (ODI) chase and the second-highest successful run-chase in World Cups after Ireland stunned England by chasing down 329 in Bengaluru in 2011.

A splendid century by man-of-the-match Kyle Coetzer (156) helped Scotland post an imposing total of 318/8. But Scottish bowlers failed to back their batsmen and leaked runs to hand Bangladesh a relatively comfortable six-wicket win with 11 balls to spare.

Though they lost Soumya Sarkar (2) early in the second over, Tamim Iqbal (95) and Mahmudullah (62) scored Bangladesh's highest World Cup stand of 139 runs for the second wicket to set themselves up.

After Mahmudullah got out after scoring his 12th ODI half-century, wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim (60) joined hands with Tamim, whose 100-ball 95 became the highest individual score by a Bangladeshi in World Cups, to see Bangladesh cross the 200-run mark with relative ease in the 32nd over.

When the duo got out, it was top all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan (52 not out) and Sabbir Rahman (42) who stuck it out in the middle to score an unbeaten 75-run fifth-wicket stand, easily seeing off a Bangladeshi victory.

Coetzer's second ODI century, and the first against a Test playing country, is also a first by a Scot in World Cups. The highest score by a batsman from an Associate team helped the minnows put up the second highest team total for an Associate member at the quadrennial event.

Scotland did not start well after being put in to bat, losing two wickets in the first 10 overs. However, two important partnerships thereon helped create the platform for them to post the 300-plus score.

A 78-run third-wicket partnership between Coetzer and Matt Machan (35) and a fourth-wicket stand of 141 between Coetzer and skipper Preston Mommsen (39) guided Scotland.

Opener Coetzer produced the innings of his life, smashing 156 off 134 balls to give the non-Test playing nation a chance to earn their first win against Bangladesh in four meetings and also their first World Cup win.

Pacer Taskin Ahmed was the pick of the Bangladeshi bowlers, picking 3/43, while spinner Nassir Hossain clinched 2/32.

The win helped Bangladesh consolidate fourth position in the seven-team standings while Scots slumped to their fourth consecutive defeat from as many matches in the World Cup.

Brief scores: Scotland 318/8 in 50 overs (Kyle Coetzer 156, Preston Mommsen 39; Taskin Ahmed 3-43, Nasir Hossain 2-32) vs Bangladesh 322/4 in 48.1 overs (Tamim Iqbal 95, Mahmudullah 62, Mushfiqur Rahim 60; Josh Davey 2-68).