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Ash expects hundreds

Sports Reporter
Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful has put the onus on himself and fellow top-order batsmen, asking them to score some big runs against Zimbabwe
in the three-match Gramccnphone Series that begins today at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
"I would be expecting at least three hundreds from three batsmen during this series," said Ashraful yesterday while speaking to reporters on the eve of the first one-dayer in Mlrpur.
"I will also try and get a big innings under my belt and I hope the top-order does the same in all three matches. We have been playing a string of tough opponents in the last year and a half. We played Ireland sometime in the middle and our batsmen did quite well then," said Ashraful when asked of his own and top order's recent poor form.
The ace batsman is set to return to the number three position after makeshift option Mushfiqur Rahim had a terrible time at the pivotal point. Ashraful last batted at the position against Australia in Darwin last year. He has a century and a single fifty at number three, averaging a little over 18 runs in 25 innings out of the
136 onc-dayers he has played for Bangladesh. But the captain believes that it is the team combination that requires him bat up the order.
"I have been batting at three since the New Zealand tour early in my captaincy stint. I think that 1 can bat better when the ball is slightly older, say seven-eight overs into the innings. That's why I batted at four and I have had a good record in that position," explained Ashraful who added that even at four he had to come to the crease quickly because of early wickets.
Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons, who also confirmed that Ashraful would bat at three in place of Mushfiqur Rahim, expressed discontent at the top four.
"Definitely the two guys at the top Tamim (Iqbal) and (Zunaed Siddiqui) Imrose have not scored for a while now. The way they are practicing, I think still they are the best two guys for the job," said Siddons who was also disappointed that nobody from the first-class competition has come up with the big scores. "No one really in the National Cricket League put up their hands up. They (Tamim and Zunaed) are two good young cricketers. Hopefully they will be good opening combination. I also hope Ash (Mohammad Ashraful) will step up to make the top four look much better,"
added Siddons.
Siddons however termed the loss to Zimbabwe last week as a 'slip up'.
"We were really confident against Zimbabwe; confident of having a really good series. But the first game was a slip up. I think coming from Test cricket into one-day cricket we were not ready for the momentum and tempo of one-day cricket.
One has to score quicker but after the first match, we picked up the tempo very quickly. Against Sri Lanka our target was around 150 in 31 overs. J didn't expect to get a bonus point in that match to make the final. Obviously that was a bonus. Then we played an amazing final where we had not done too much wrong but Murali took that away from us," recalled Siddons.
Ashraful reiterated Siddons's comments about moving from Test to the limited-overs game but claimed that they have every right to think they will win the first game.
"We are thinking about tomorrow's (Monday) game and if we believe in ourselves we will surely win. Our confidence level is better now after the two matches against Sri Lanka," added Ashraful after he admitted there was pressure to win before the January 10 encounter against
SEE PAGE 18 COL 5
FROM PAGE 17
Ponting eventually fell in quick succession.
Ponting holed out to De Villiers at deep backward square leg, while Marsh was superbly caught by Kallis at extra cover off JP Duminy's occasional off-spin.
At that stage, Australia were 166-3 with 17 overs remaining and the Hussey brothers at the crease, and when the powerplay was finally taken the first ball saw Mike Hussey (28) spoon Kallis to Herschelle Gibbs at backward point.
Cameron White fell cheaply and David Hussey, Brad Haddin, James Hopes and Ryan Harris -- making his ODI debut in place of Shaun Tait — hit just two boundaries between them as they got bogged down in the final overs.
South Africa lost Hashim Amla cheaply at the start of their reply and Gibbs was caught on the mid-wicket boundary for 19 when he tried to hit Hopes over the top.
But with Kallis and De Villiers adding 93 for the third wicket, the visitors must have been optimistic of forging a 2-
0 lead in the series.
As witli Marsh and Ponting, however, both fell in quick succession to derail the South African reply.
Within nine balls, Ben Hilfenhaus, playing in front of his home Tasmanian crowd, had Kallis caught at backward point, while De Villiers stumbled while attempting a second run and was run out to leave them 156-3 in the 37th over.
Harris then bowled Neil McKenzie to claim his first international wicket.
As in the first one-dayer, South Africa delayed taking their batting powerplay until the start of the 45th over -- by which time they needed 60 from six overs.
But Nathan Bracken kept it tight, showing the control which has seen him ranked among the top ODI bowlers in the world - and Duminy was run out for 35 after failing to pick a yorker from the left-arm seamer.
Not even some lusty blows from Mark Boucher (37 not out), who lifted Hilfenhaus for a huge six in the last over, and Albie Morkel could prevent
South Africa from finishing short
Honours are now even going into Friday’s third ODI in Sydney.
"I don't think we can be too disappointed. Both sides could be 2-0 up at this stage, it has been that close," said Botha.
"It is probably a fair reflection at the moment that the teams are locked at 1-1 and there is everything to play for in the three remaining fixtures."
SCOREBOARD
Scoreboard of the second one-day international between Australia and South Africa at Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Sunday.
AUSTRALIA
Marsh c Gibbs b Duminy 78 Warner c Boucher b Steyn 5 Ponting c De Villiers b Kallis 64 Husseyc Gibbs b Kallis 28 •
Hussey c Morkel bNtini 19
White c Botha b Steyn 1
Haddin run out (Ntini) 23
Hopes c Morkel bNtini 8
Harris cDuminyb Ntini 7
Bracken not out 0
Extras: (lb-8, w-8) 16
Total:(Foc9wktsin50overs) 249
Did not bat: Hilfenhaus Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-152, 3-166. 4-190, 5-197, 6-218, 7-232,8-249,9-249.
Bowler O M R W
Steyn 10 2 36 2
Ntini 9 0 39 3
Kallis 10 0 57 2
Morkel 8 0 46 0
Botha 7 0 40 0
Duminy 6 0 23 1
SOUTH AFRICA
Gibbs c Husseyb Hopes 19 Amlac White b Hilfenhaus 8 Kallis c Hussey b Hilfenhaus72 De Villiers run out 44 Duminy run out (Haddin) 35 McKenzie b Harris 8
Bouchernotout 37
Morkel not out 11
Extras: (b-3.lb-2.w-5) 10
Total: (For 6 wkts in 50 overs) 244 Did not bat Botha, Steyn, Ntini.
FaU of wickets: 1-15, 2-52, 3-145,4-157,5-172,6-205.
Bowler O M R W
Hilfenhaus 10 2 60 2
Bracken 10 0 38 0
Harris 10 0 54 1
Hopes 10 0 43 1
Hussey 7 0 28 0
White 3 0 16 0
Result: Australia won by 5 runs.
Man-of-the-match: Shaun Marsh.
Toss: South Africa
Umpires: IJ Gould (England) andRJTticker
Match referee: RS Madugalle (Sri Lanka)