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Bangladesh’s bowlers had a plan and they largely stuck to it, but did it offer them the best chance of success?

Mohammad Isam18-Apr-2013Among the various things Mushfiqur Rahim said from behind the stumps, two sentences firmly stood out. “Gazi, I feel like taking my gloves off and having a bowl,” he told the offspinner as at the start of the 146th over. The Bangladesh captain, like his team, was clearly frustrated as Shingirai Masakadza and Keegan Meth held up the visitors in a ninth wicket stand. The other sentence, which was more telling, was the oft-repeated one: “Tighten up your lines, cut out the runs, they will give away the wickets.”He said it like a mantra, and the Bangladesh bowlers followed it like a mantra as they kept the Zimbabwe batsmen on a leash for more than 150 overs. But what slipped away was an opportunity to make proper use of a greenish wicket that offered much to pace bowlers, while also letting the spinners bowl with some turn to look forward to as early as the first session of the match.In the four Tests this season, Bangladesh have been using a bowling attack that was mostly one-dimensional, which prompted Mushfiqur to always follow the safety-first approach. The four specialist bowlers in Harare and the hint of Shakib Al Hasan still couldn’t shake the captain out of his safety-first mindset.Robiul Islam and Rubel Hossain bowled 68 overs between them for five wickets. It was the lack of the third seamer that forced Mushfiqur into bringing back Rubel and Robiul whenever necessary. Robiul’s 38 overs was the most bowled by a Bangladesh pace bowler, but he was the consummate “labourer of the bowling attack” as one bowling coach once remarked about him.Both he and Rubel bowled far better than their last outing in Colombo, offering a much more consistent line, if not length. Their folly was to be too dependent on the line outside off-stump which was happily negotiated by the Zimbabwe batsmen. Rubel tried to build up pressure through dot balls, but he has lost some of his pace due to the shoulder injury. Robiul looked dangerous whenever he bowled straight up to the batsmen.The spinners picked up the other five wickets to fall, but one look at their volume and one would easily understand which type of bowler is more preferred in the Bangladeshi mindset. Mushfiqur couldn’t get enough of Enamul Haque jnr, the left-arm spinner, who had to re-educate himself into Test cricket as this was his first outing since mid-2009. After he had settled into a rhythm and picked up a wicket, Mushfiqur could have rotated him with the offspinner Sohag Gazi. But he kept on using the left-arm spinner who continuously changing his pace and length as he strived to contain the batsmen. By the second day, he became predictable.Abdur Razzak, another leading left-arm spinner who is deemed an ODI specialist, had remarked recently that the natural drift and turn of the offspinner offers more to a captain than a left-arm spinner. His simple explanation was that the batsman has to play Gazi more than Enamul. It was exactly what happened, though Gazi’s spells were too short to bring in extra close catchers on the legside.Perhaps Mushfiqur wanted Gazi to play the holding role towards the end of sessions, or use him sparingly so that Zimbabwe didn’t get wind of his nuances when Shakib will be ready to bowl at full tilt and they can make do without Enamul. He was also not helped by Gazi’s lack of enthusiasm, as there were full tosses and some odd short balls.This mantra of cutting out the runs to choke the batsmen wasn’t useful against Brendan Taylor or Malcolm Waller or even Graeme Cremer. None of these batsmen looked flustered as they were happy to let balls either pitch outside off stump and hold its line, or turn from middle and whizz past their outside edge. The three batsmen thrived as soon as the bowlers’ energy flagged, and their lines drifted to the legstump.If it was a game of patience, Zimbabwe won the first battle but this is a Test match, so when it comes to the third innings, Bangladesh would do well to attack the stumps. Whenever Robiul or the others used a straighter line, the inexperienced home batsmen looked vulnerable and were easier to lure into a poor drive. Whether it will happen will completely depend on what the captain’s mantra is later in the game.

Fielding up close to the bat isn’t just about pulling off blinding catches and taking blows to the body

Interviews by Daniel Brettig and Nagraj Gollapudi09-Feb-2012

The key parameters

Tony Greig You need to have good hands, good reflexes, and then you need to learn the position. That only comes with experience, and you’ve got to clearly understand that in that position your role is more than just to take catches. You’re changing the way the batsman plays, and that’s something that I don’t think is done enough. If you’re up against any of the top players and you let them play the way they’re comfortable playing, then you’re asking for trouble. Especially when they first come in, what you’ve got to try to do is change the way they play, get them out of their comfort zone, and that’s what silly point did to a lot of them. It definitely did for Sunil [Gavaskar], who only averaged 38 against England, and that was mainly because he had all sorts of problems with [Derek] Underwood and we really unsettled him.Brian Close The parameters for a good close-in fielder are: good eyesight, not having the fear of being hit, and not being stupid like turning away.Mark Waugh You have got to have good reflexes. You need someone with good hands, and a bit of courage too. When I fielded in there I never used any shin pads or a helmet – though I had the box on. So you need courage and you need anticipation and quick reflexes. You can’t just put any mug in there. You’ve got to have a guy who can read the game well. Preferably someone from the slips – they’re normally the guys that would maybe field bat/pad on the off side.

Positioning

Close When I was fielding close to the wicket, I used to have my legs bent, and my body was horizontal. You’ve always got to be on the balls of your feet.It all depends on who is bowling and who is the batsman, because you do not want to be fielding too close to a batsman who is a pretty strong hitter, and to a bowler who is going to bowl one or two loose balls an over. I was probably somewhere within six feet to two yards away at most times.The pace of the pitch also determines where you stand – if it is a fast bowler you would stand a little back and vice-versa. When you are very close to the wicket it is generally to slow bowlers, because quick bowlers get edges off the bat that go to slips or backward short leg. It is the slow bowler that encourages the batsman to play bat-pad, and that is one reason for you to field close or in front of the wicket.Greig It had more to do with how much pressure you were trying to put on the batsman – if you are trying to intimidate him. For me, with my height, I was able to intimidate a bit from silly point, the closer I got. I’d generally field with my left foot on the popping crease, and my right foot down the pitch. When you had guys like Vishy [Gundappa Viswanath] and Sunil Gavaskar, little guys like that, when I was bent in half, I was looking straight into their eyes.

“I watched the flight of the ball and got the length and width of the ball by just turning my head and watching the ball down the pitch. I’m not sure a lot of people did that – they just concentrated on the batsman”Mark Waugh

If the batsman was playing defensively, you’d come very close. That’s one of the things that happened to me in the [Alvin] Kallicharran situation. I was ready to take the ball off Bernard Julien’s bat, because he was dead-batting everything. The more that happened, the more you were inclined to come really close, and I was prepared to almost roll across the pitch if he dead-batted again. I didn’t do anything like that, but I was very close and he pushed it past me. So I turned, chased it, and then I saw Kalli was standing in the middle of the pitch.A lot depends on whether you have someone more inclined to get their way quite forcefully, like a Viv Richards. You wouldn’t be quite as close then, but the dead-bat players, you’d come close.Waugh Some batsmen play with soft hands, so you get a little bit closer to the bat. Some go with hard hands and they squeeze the ball out quickly at bat-pad, so you just drop back a little bit. You’ve got to adapt to who’s at the crease. If the pitch is turning a lot you might go a little squarer, if it’s not turning as much you’d go a bit straighter in there.

Anticipation

Waugh The first thing was, I always watched the bowler bowl the ball. It just gave me an edge. I could guess what the shot was going to be and I could get into a good position to duck out of the way or take a catch. I watched the flight of the ball and got the length and width of the ball by just turning my head and watching the ball down the pitch. I’m not sure a lot of people did that – they just concentrated on the batsman.Close The ball just does not come to where you want it to be. You have got to find out where the batsman is going to hit it and how he is going to hit it. Quite a few people were caught off rebounds off my body and head. You watch the whole picture. You need to watch the batsman as to what kind of shot he might play. Everything the batsman does starts with him moving his body, feet and his hands, and by extension the bat.Greig I watched the bat. For me, right from just after I left school I used that as a pressure position, right through club cricket, and always when spinners bowled. We won a tournament in Sydney when David Horn bowled at one end and I bowled at the other. I just sat under the nose of every batsman and got someone to do it when I was bowling offspinners, and it put a lot of pressure on batsmen.There was no anticipation involved. The only thing you could do was go with the batsman if he went down the wicket. If he played forward a long way, you’d go forward a bit, but the chances always were the ball was going to come out at about 45 degrees if a guy was playing pad-bat. It wouldn’t come out at right angles but at about 45 degrees, so your hand would be moving from the right angle towards 45. And you had to do that late, because if it came square it was quite hard to bring it back.Brian Close dives for one against West Indies in 1976: “I got hit plenty of times but I got plenty of catches”•Getty ImagesThe key to it was keeping still. I watched [Eknath] Solkar, who I think was probably the best short leg fielder I’ve ever seen. I saw him take a catch in Kolkata off a sweep shot Tony Lewis played, and I’ll never forget it. The guy literally made himself a small target but never moved, and watched the pads through his fingers. Then he dived forward and caught what was basically a little bottom edge onto the pad. So keeping still was very important.

Courage

Close I never took cover. I never turned. If you turn you can get hit on the side of the head, which is dangerous, or other places. Of course, there is a helmet these days but there is still a danger of getting hit badly. Just face the ball front-on instead of turning for cover. The only place they could hit me was on my forehead, shoulders and legs. I got hit plenty of times but I got plenty of catches. I caught probably about five or six catches close to wicket, where the ball had not gone more than two feet off the bat.Playing Kent at Gravesend once, we got to the last ten minutes of the match and we needed two more wickets. We had declared and set them a very reasonable total, giving them more chance of winning than we had, in some respects. But it was important that we kept them going. Don Wilson was bowling. They needed about 16 runs. I spotted Colin Cowdrey, the Kent captain, signalling from the pavilion to Alan Brown not to give anything away to Yorkshire, so to speak. Brown took a huge swipe. I was at silly mid-off. It hit me right on my forehead and went many a mile into the air and dropped in front of the pavilion steps. Next ball I went a yard nearer, and Brown tried the same stroke again but missed and got stumped. In came John Dye, who got out immediately and we won.Waugh If you feel like you might be in danger, your natural reaction is to turn away. Sometimes I was sort of ducking away and then all of a sudden the shot wouldn’t occur that I thought would happen and you had to react again. You need the courage but also the quick reflexes to adapt to what happens. There’s not much time to do it in, but sometimes the ball might lob up and come slowly and you can adjust.David Boon was pretty good. He was well suited to short leg. Built low to the ground and pretty intimidating in there, and he had good courage, which you’ve got to have on the leg side. That’s the toughest position to field, I think, because you just wear so many balls there. He had plenty of courage and a good pair of hands. It’s normally the youngest guy who goes in there. Quite often it’s a shorter guy. But today you want someone who is very good in there, and they actually tend to field a bit deeper these days, for some reason. You need the right person in there; if you’re scared then you’ve got no hope.Greig Solkar was one who did short leg without any head protection, and that was very special, that’s where you start to get into the serious courage area, because I think to field at forward short leg well for any length of time takes a lot of courage. A little different now, with all the protection they’ve got, and I guess it is a reason why all the youngsters always go there. I had to field there a bit of World Series Cricket because basically there was no one else, and I didn’t enjoy it too much.Quite often batsmen would try and play the ball at me square on the off side, and if they were trying to play square to a ball slightly short, there was always the chance of a nick to the keeper or slip. And I quite enjoyed the idea of people trying to hit it at me anyhow. Knowing that all I had to do was stand up and I’d be hit on the legs – that was a lot easier than short leg, where I always thought the batsman could flick it up.

He chose a crucial time to score his maiden ODI century, and did so in a manner that confirmed he has turned a corner in his stop-start career

Jamie Alter in Colombo08-Sep-2009The Dialog pop-up question on my cellphone flashed the umpteenth market-driven gimmick of the day: “What is the term used for a batsman capable of batting for a long duration throughout the innings?” I’m pretty sure the answer isn’t Thilan Samaraweera. Not just yet, at least.Sri Lanka’s victory would not have been possible without Samaraweera. He was the difference between a meek surrender and a crushing win. Like India have done with Rahul Dravid, Sri Lanka recalled Samaraweera into the side to smooth over the cracks. The message was not getting through to Chamara Kapugedera, so out he went and in came Samaraweera. It was a decision taken to bolster the batting and take the pressure off Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. It worked, and how.Nearly 11 years after his one-day debut, Samaraweera chose a crucial time to score his maiden century in the form, and did so with a temperament and class that confirmed he has turned a corner in his stop-start career. Ultimately, this one selection decision saved Sri Lanka the blushes.At 69 for 5 in 26.3 overs, you would have thought Samaraweera would consolidate. Instead, he counter-attacked brilliantly, to a degree aided by the bowlers, who tried too hard to knock the batsmen over.There was no panic and there were plenty of spectacular shots, especially towards the end of his 127-run partnership with Angelo Mathews. He and Mathews – whose innings Samaraweera termed as “brilliant” – backed their ability to match New Zealand’s bowlers and counteract Daniel Vettori with some classical batting.What was most admirable about Samaraweera’s innings was his placement and rotation of the strike. He has never been a big hitter of the cricket ball and cannot savage attacks like Dilshan or Sanath Jayasuriya, but by nimble dabs and touches he was able to keep his own score ticking as well as give Mathews plenty of strike.Some of the purest shots of the day came between overs 24 and 30, against Vettori and Shane Bond, when Samaraweera casually turned the ball across his pads at the very last second, and got over the bounce to dab singles in front of the fielders. With utmost care, either dropping the ball at his feet or deflecting it wide of point’s hands, Samaraweera negated New Zealand’s best pair. Vettori was forced to take Bond off after a two-over spell. Such skillful single-pinching can be like a torrent of boundaries for bowlers.It was an inspiring blend of the format Samaraweera has dominated and the one he wishes to dominate. He needed to show Test-match grit from the depths of 38 for 4 in 16 overs. He began steadily – his first 20 runs came off 41 balls. He brought up his half-century off 78 balls and then stepped on the gas, scoring his next fifty in 43 balls.An increased strike-rate in Tests has helped his one-day batting and it’s clear his mindset is positive. When the bowlers sagged even a bit, he found the boundaries; when they tidied up, he found the gaps. A century off 122 deliveries, that too after the top order wilts, is special.”I thought my ODI career was over but I believed in myself,” Samaraweera said. “We have been struggling in the middle order and I’ve had a dream run in Test cricket over the last 18 months. This is the first time I’ve got a decent run [in ODIs]; normally I get one game and then I’m sitting out. I’m under pressure because a lot of people have said I can’t play one-cricket. The management has told me to bat like I did in the recent Tests if I get 40 -45 overs. Once I crossed 50, I felt I could play some shots and I did.”Coming into this game, Samaraweera’s record in a one-day career spanning 11 years and 21 matches showed an average of 16.60, with a highest of 38 not out. It was indicative of his previous avatar, one in which he was judged on the basis of a stonewalling and inconsistent Test approach. Improved shot selection has resulted in his Test successes this summer, and it helped him today as well. Bowlers have found out they need to earn Samaraweera’s wicket now, and it is proving to be rather a tough task.In the end, Sri Lanka’s win over New Zealand was a surprisingly resonant one, considering that it was difficult, at about the halfway mark of their innings, to foresee them crossing 170. Samaraweera’s century found its reward in a comprehensive victory.Maybe in time to come people will text the name Samaraweera and hit the jackpot.

The Gabonese forward left his future with LAFC open to speculation amid a possible interest from Las Águilas

• Will play in El Tráfico vs LA Galaxy
• Has 11 goals this MLS season
• Under contract with the club until 2027

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  When asked about interest from Liga MX's Club América regarding a possible move, LAFC forward Denis Bouanga left his future up for speculation.

  "Whatever has to happen regarding my future will happen, that's what I think," he told reporters at a press conference. "For now, I'm just trying to stay focused here because I have a match every four days."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  According to reports from Mexico, Club América’s front office is considering opening negotiations with Bouanga now that the team is in Los Angeles to play the Campeón de Campeones match against Toluca on Sunday.

  Currently, LAFC has Javairo Dilrosun – a Club América player – on loan, but the deal is about to expire. The MLS side holds a purchase option, which could potentially be used as part of a swap deal to bring the Gabonese forward to Mexico.

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  WHAT ANDRÉ JARDINE SAID

  Club America didn't mention Bouanga by name, but did reveal the club is looking to add another player.

  “We’re still looking for one more signing. We need to be assertive; we want to make the squad even stronger than it already is,” said the Brazilian head coach.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Bouanga knocked Club América out of the Club World Cup contention in a qualifier, scoring the goal that knocked the Liga MX side out of the tournament held this summer. Now, the Gabonese forward could be packing his bags to join Las Águilas – a player who has been heavily requested by the club’s fans in recent weeks, although the topic had started to fade away since both parties failed to reach an agreement prior to the start of the Apertura 2025. Now, things could be reignited.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Santos anunciou nesta quarta-feira (12) a contratação do atacante Bruno Mezenga, que estava no Água Santa e conquistou o vice-campeonato do Paulistão com o clube de Diadema. O jogador, de 34 anos, assinou contrato de empréstimo com o Peixe até o final da temporada, com opção de compra.

A chegada do centroavante já havia sido adiantada pelo LANCE!. O atleta chega para reforçar o setor ofensivo e ocupar a vaga deixada por Rwan Seco, que está emprestado ao Vasco.

+ Confira uma lista de produtos do Santos com descontos de até 70% OFF na Centauro

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+ Site aponta 31 jogadores do Brasileirão que mais valorizaram em 2023

Nascido em Niterói (RJ), Bruno possui diversas experiências na carreira. Foi revelado no Flamengo, passou pelo futebol europeu e rodou por diversos clubes do Brasil, como Goiás, Fortaleza e Vila Nova.

Na temporada 2023, o Alvinegro Praiano contratou 12 jogadores: o goleiro Vladimir, os zagueiros Joaquim e Messias, os laterais João Lucas e Gabriel Inocêncio, os volantes Dodi e Alison, os meias Lucas Lima, Daniel Ruiz e Luan Dias e os atacantes Mendoza e Bruno Mezenga.

Manchester United CEO Omar Berrada has come up with three core values the club must abide by, while taking inspiration from Roy Keane & Eric Cantona.

Berrada issues three key Man Utd core valuesKeane and Cantona invoked as examplesBig season lies ahead for the Red DevilsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to The Athletic, Berrada addressed club staff to mark the start of the season and issued three core values to underpin their work: "Badge, bravery, and spirit." He reportedly said that bravery came down to staying resilient in hard times, that nobody is bigger than the badge, and club legends Cantona and Keane were used as examples of players with uncompromising, combustible spirit.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

All three of these core values may be tested this season as Ruben Amorim's team tries to bounce back from a difficult 2024/25 campaign where they finished the season trophyless and 15th in the Premier League. They have spent more than £200 million ($271.6m) on players this summer, so expectations will be high to have a successful season in 2025/26.

DID YOU KNOW?

In Berrada's talk to United staff on Monday, he also reportedly urged them to show the same spirit that Sir Matt Busby and Jimmy Murphy had when rebuilding the Red Devils in the wake of the Munich air disaster. A 'rousing' video capturing the club's heritage also accompanied his speech.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

United, whose staff were given metal water bottles with 'Badge, Bravery, Spirit' on them, begin their Premier League campaign on Sunday at home to old adversary Arsenal. They then travel to Fulham the following weekend.

Gary Lineker defended Marcus Rashford over his poor spell at Manchester United and believes that he will succeed at Barcelona. The England international is on the verge of sealing a season-long loan deal to the Spanish champions, in what many see as a bold attempt to reignite his career after a challenging spell at Old Trafford.

Rashford set to join BarcelonaHad a turbulent time at Manchester United Lineker believes he will succeed in Spain Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to reports from , the deal includes an option to make the transfer permanent next year. Barcelona will reportedly cover Rashford’s full salary during the loan period, which is estimated to be around €350,000 per week.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALWHAT LINEKER SAID

Lineker, who famously donned the Barcelona jersey himself in the late 1980s, has thrown his support behind Rashford amid growing scrutiny surrounding the forward’s performances in recent months.

"He (Rashford) will do great. He seems to be in the right frame of mind," he told "I think this is a great challenge. They have got brilliant players. They are a tough team. But there are so many games they are playing."

Despite boasting a formidable attack, Barcelona’s need for attacking depth is evident. Lineker pointed out that while Lewandowski remains productive, his age is beginning to show.

"They have got a stable front three, in Raphinha, Lewandowski and Yamal. But they can't keep playing the three players every game," he said. "And Lewandowski is past his best nearly now. He is remarkable for what he is achieving at this age. I think this is a good signing for Barcelona, and if Marcus can rediscover his best."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Lineker questioned the culture at United, suggesting the club might be part of the issue rather than the players.

"Let's look at the players who have left Manchester United. They have done unbelievably well, everywhere," he said. "So, there is something wrong at Manchester United. The players who have got away from there have generally succeeded. At Villa, he was terrific. And he can do the same sort of thing at Barcelona. I hope so."

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GOAL WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA & RASHFORD?

With the deal nearing completion and just final paperwork remaining, all signs point to Rashford embarking on a new chapter in his footballing journey. For Barcelona, it's a strategic investment in a player with untapped potential, whereas the English forward will look to silence his critics and make a case for himself ahead of Thomas Tuchel before the 2026 World Cup.

يستعد منتخب مصر لكرة اليد للناشئين تحت 19 عامًا، لبدء مشواره في بطولة كأس العالم، عندما يلتقي مع كوريا الجنوبية، مساء اليوم الأربعاء.

وتقام بطولة كأس العالم لكرة اليد، في مصر، خلال الفترة من 6 أغسطس حتى 17 من الشهر نفسه، على صالات استاد القاهرة والعاصمة الإدارية وحسن مصطفى بـ 6 أكتوبر.

ويتواجد منتخب مصر، في المجموعة السابعة، من بطولة كأس العالم لكرة اليد، بجانب كل من كوريا والبحرين واليابان.

ومن المقرر أن يستهل منتخب مصر مبارياته في بطولة العالم، أمام كوريا الجنوبية ثم يلاقي البحرين ويختتم دور المجموعات بلقاء اليابان. موعد مباراة مصر وكوريا الجنوبية اليوم في كأس العالم لكرة اليد

تقام مباراة مصر وكوريا الجنوبية في افتتاح بطولة كأس العالم لكرة اليد، اليوم الأربعاء 6 أغسطس، إذا ينطلق اللقاء في تمام الساعة 8 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

طالع | وزير الرياضة يبحث مع رئيس الاتحاد الدولي لليد ترتيبات استضافة مصر كأس العالم القناة الناقلة لمباراة مصر وكوريا الجنوبية اليوم في كأس العالم لكرة اليد

تنقل مباراة مصر وكوريا الجنوبية على قناة أون سبورت 1. معلق مباراة مصر وكوريا الجنوبية اليوم في افتتاح كأس العالم لكرة اليد

يعلق على مباراة مصر وكوريا الجنوبية، خالد خيري

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Dhaka Division took a firm step towards clinching the NCL title after beating Sylhet Division by 52 runs in Chattogram. Sylhet head coach Rajin Saleh, however, accused and reported the umpires of bias towards Dhaka, after several lbw decisions went against his side.Dhaka made 266 runs batting first with Mahidul Islam getting his maiden first-class century. He made 106 with seven fours and a six and spent six hours and 36 minutes on the field. Sylhet fell behind by 55 runs after they were shot out for 211.Dhaka were then bowled out for 154, leaving Sylhet with a target of 210. But Sylhet got bowled out for 157 with spin allrounder Shuvagata Hom taking four wickets.Away in Khulna, defending champions Rangpur Division are risking relegation to Tier-2 after their drawn game against Dhaka Metropolis.Batting first, captain Akbar Ali and Tanbir Hayder struck big hundreds to get Rangpur to 435 runs. Akbar’s 179, his maiden century in the long format, had 17 fours and three sixes. He added 251 runs for the fourth wicket with Tanbir who made 169, which was his eighth first-class ton. Tanbir hit 17 fours and two sixes.Dhaka replied with 295 with half-centuries from Al-Amin and Abu Hider. Akbar missed out on a second century, falling for 97 on the fourth day. He struck seven fours and two sixes. Set 300 to win, Dhaka Metro ended up on 113 for four.File photo: Taijul Islam starred with a nine-wicket haul against Barishal Division•Getty Images

Chattogram Division climbed to top position of the Tier-2 points table after they beat Khulna Division by four wickets in their penultimate round match in Rajshahi. They clinched their highest successful fourth-innings chase in nine years after offspinner Nayeem Hasan took 7 for 75.Chattogram took a 34-run lead after they were bowled out for 189 in reply to Khulna’s 155.Khulna scored 294 in the third innings with Nurul Hasan hitting 134 with 18 fours and two sixes. He added 169 runs for the fifth wicket with Afif Hossain making 81. Nayeem took seven wickets or more for the fourth time in his career, as Khulna set Chattogram a 261-run target.Mahmudul Hasan Joy top scored with 54 while Mominul Haque and Yasir Ali got out for 42 and 46 respectively, as they reached the target in the third evening.Rajshahi Division returned to winning ways after their five-wicket win against Barishal Division in Bogra. It was celebration time for Rajshahi’s left-arm spin stalwarts; Taijul Islam starred with a nine-wicket haul while Sunzamul Islam became the fourth Bangladeshi bowler to complete 400 first-class wickets, in his 105th match.In the first innings, Taijul and Sunzamul took two wickets each as Barishal were bowled out for 196. But Rajshahi fell behind by five runs in reply. Moin Khan, who top scored with 63 in Barishal’s first innings, took four wickets.But Barishal couldn’t take advantage of the slender lead, as Taijul’s 7 for 76 restricted them to 218 in their second innings. Fifties from SM Meherob and Imran Uzzaman took them to their fourth-innings target of 224 on the third day.

Hayes said she considered giving Girma the summer off, but star center-back asked to play for the U.S.

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• Naomi Girma insisted on playing for the USWNT this June
• Only non-NWSL player in camp
• Has played fewer minutes this year after calf issues

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Emma Hayes was considering giving Naomi Girma time off this month, but the Chelsea center-back made it clear she wanted to be included in the upcoming USWNT squad, the manager said Wednesday after revealing her roster for three upcoming friendlies.

  Girma's inclusion comes as something of a surprise as Hayes has turned to a significant NWSL contingent for the the matches against Ireland and Canada – with 24 of the 25 players in camp coming from the United States' domestic league.

  Hayes said that Girma, after discussions, made it clear that she was fit enough to play, and offered her services. She also played in the USWNT's most-recent friendlies against China and Jamaica.

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  WHAT HAYES SAID ABOUT GIRMA

  The USWNT coach outlined her conversation with Girma: "I had a long chat with her about it, and she was like, 'Look, I feel top fresh. I haven't been going back-to-back like all the other players.' She wants to be involved with the national team because she felt she's missed the really key camps for us. And she's still learning what we're looking from her. So we took that decision with all those factors in mind."

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  WHAT HAYES SAID ABOUT ROSE LAVELLE

  Hayes also outlined the importance of the return of Rose Lavelle, who hasn't appeared for the team in more than six months after undergoing ankle surgery.

  "We're incredibly excited to have her back with us for multiple reasons," Hayes said. "First of all, her personality and the character in the locker room has been sorely missed the past six months. She's supremely gifted as a football player, and playing between the eight and 10 positions. She's someone who, I think, she's maturing a top level footballer.

  "It's where her game has been going in the last 12 months she's she's starting to add new dimensions in between the lines. And I'm so excited for her that she gets back to be back with the team, but also we get to be back with the team when we go to Cincinnati, her hometown – and I know she's extremely excited for that."

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Hayes' comments about Girma, and her desire to play this summer, come against the backdrop of controversy with the USMNT and Christian Pulisic, who asked to be removed from the U.S.'s Gold Cup squad to rest and recover. Pulisic has faced criticism from U.S. legends for his decision.