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'Nine v Ten’

Sports Reporter
One win can be a big relief for the struggling Tigers when they take on Ireland in the first one-dayer
of the three-match scries at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.
The challenge will be tougher still for under-pressure Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful as he seeks to motivate his team to secure their first one-day international win under his tutelage, following the shambolic showing in the just concluded series against South Africa.
On paper, Bangladesh are favourites in the series despite the fact that they go into the match on the back of a heartbreaking 74-run defeat in the Super Eights of the World Cup in West Indies lastyear.
Nobody will care if the Tigers win the series against the ICC associate member, as it is expected, especially when they arc going to play in their own conditions.
The pain however will be unbearable if the result is anything but.
So, understandably the pressure is on the home side to show their best to get back some confidence.
Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons however played down his side's favourites tag but he said that his charges arc enthusiastic to show their ability in the scries.
"It will be a good contest because it is a battle between the No 9 and 10 teams in the world rankings. And everybody should understand it's a game of cricket where anything can happen. My expectation is for the boys to play to the best of their ability,” said the Australian.
"The boys arc fired up and raring to go. It would be nice if we could win and 1 am pretty confident that we will win. But there is still a lot of cricket to play. Ireland is a good cricket team and they are only just below us in the ranking and last time we played them, they beat us. If the boys can play to their ability, they can be successful. But if they don't, we won't be and it's very simple," he added.
Under his supervision, Bangladesh have suffered humiliating defeats in the two series' in New Zealand and at home against South Africa but the shaven headed coach still believes that there were some positives.
"In the last three months we have done well in a few things. There were partnership in New Zealand in the first Test and we have already achieved a fifth wicket partnership record in the one-day match. We just need to put the things together now and have some consistency," he observed.
But he agreed that there would
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be no excuses if they lose the match against Ireland at home.
"We now have Ireland after a few tough opponents in our own conditions, so there should be no excuses. We have got to play really good cricket to get on top of them," said Siddons who expressed his disappointment over Sunday's incident between a supporter and captain Ashraful, but urged the supporters to showpatience.
He also hoped that his team are able to score at least 240 runs here after they failed to cross the 200-run hurdle in the one-day series against South Africa.
"If we can score 240, then I am confident that we can win the match," he said.
Ireland skipper Trent Johnston also said that their main challenge would be to score 220-plus runs in the slow and low track in Mirpur.
"Looking at the Twenty20 match yesterday and the South Africa series, I think if we can put 220, we can defend it. 1 am pretty sure Bangladesh will be thinking the same. I think the toss will be crucial here... hopefully we will win that and place a good score to defend it in the aftemoon," Trent said smilingly.
"We have beaten them in the World Cup, but that's a different situation. Now we are here in their conditions. We are not used to this
kind of conditions. But if we can do well in three disciplines we are going to be competitive. But it's going to be a tough challenge," he added.
Coach Phil Simmons however said that his side will go for a win.
"In any game you go to play, especially one-day cricket you go to win. So at the end of the day that is the result we are looking for. I want them to play like they played in the World Cup and add something to that," said the former West Indies all-rounder.
Meanwhile due to equipment constraints, no third umpire referrals will be made and all decisions will be taken by the on-field umpires.