LEEDS, England, 27 June 2005 — England ensured they would face Australia in the Triangular Series final after beating Bangladesh by five wickets at Headingley here yesterday.
Bangladesh needed to win this match to have any chance of qualifying for the July 2 Lord’s showpiece.
But England, having restricted Bangladesh to 208 for seven, scored the runs they needed with more than 11 overs to spare.
Andrew Strauss made 98 off 104 balls but, with one run needed for victory, was bowled going for his hundred by left-arm spinner Manjural Islam Rana.
But a wide from Rana took England to 209 for five in 38.5 overs.
However it was all-rounder Andrew Flintoff who set up England’s win.
He took four for 29, the fourth time he’d taken four wickets in a one-day international innings, as England finally got a grip on the game after a shoddy start.
Bangladesh opener Javed Omar, dropped on 19, top-scored with 81 but his runs came in a sedate 150 balls. Khaled Mashud added late impetus with a near run-a-ball 42 not out.
Marcus Trescothick, deputising as England captain in place of the injured Michael Vaughan, who remained out with the groin problem that saw him miss Thursday’s 57-run defeat against Australia at the Riverside, started England’s reply in style when he cut Nazmul Hossain’s first ball for four.
But fellow left-hander Strauss rode his luck. On 14, he top-edged a pull off Mashrafe Mortaza only for Mohammad Rafique at third man to drop the catch.
And a run later Strauss appeared fortunate to survive a well-merited lbw appeal from Hossain. Strauss though struck some authoritative boundaries and Trescothick later pulling Hossain for six before hoisting Rana high over mid-wicket.
But one short of a century stand Trescothick, trying to run Rana down to third man, was caught behind by wicket-keeper Mashud for a 38-ball 43.
England then promoted Flintoff up the order, the 27-year-old hard-hitting Lancastrian given plenty of time to play himself in.
Flintoff looked in good touch but when he he missed a sweep off Rana’s fellow left-arm spinner Rafique, Flintoff was lbw for 22. Rafique struck again when he had Vikram Solanki, hitting across the line, lbw for eight but at 151 for three in the 29th over England were still well-placed. Paul Colligwood (eight not out) and Geraint Jones (nought not out) were in at the finish.
England had given Bangladesh a helping hand when Simon Jones — fit again following a right knee injury and in for the rested Stephen Harmison — bowled four successive legside wides with his first four balls.
Tushar Imran, was dropped three times, once off Chris Tremlett who also had Omar, on 19 put down when Flintoff, coming across from second slip, floored a chance heading straight to Trescothick.
Imran was given another reprieve on 20 when a flashing drive off Tremlett was dropped by Flintoff standing at a wide second slip.
But on 32, trying to cut Flintoff, Imran played on in the 22nd over.
Next ball 92 for two became 92 for three when Flintoff had Mohammad Ashraful, whose three previous tournament scores were 100, 94 and 58, out for nought smartly caught by Trescothick at short mid-wicket off a legside flick.
Bashar survived a hat-trick lbw shout from Flintoff but was run out for 10 by Collingwood’s direct hit from cover.
Aftab Ahmed (15), was then beaten in the flight by left-arm spinner Ashley Giles who returned economical figures of one for 28 in 10 overs.
Omar eventually fell four short of his career-best when yorked by Flintoff.
And another quick yorker from Flintoff, back bowling after an ankle injury ruled him out of the one-day series in South Africa earlier this year, reduced Bangladesh to 189 for seven when Mortaza was bowled for one.
