Bangladesh in Chelmsford over the years

Published on Friday 12 May 2023

website creator When Bangladesh took the field to face Ireland in the first of their three-match ODI series, it was the fourth time in their cricketing history that they had appeared in Chelmsford.

These upcoming matches will provide a great opportunity for Bangladesh to hone their skills ahead of the World Cup, having come through their successful Super League campaign, but for their opponents, its make or break time. The men in green needed to win all three matches to keep alive their hopes of automatic qualification for the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, hosted by India.

Bangladesh, a South Asian country with a population of about 169 million people in an area of ​​148,460 square kilometers, is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

In 1999, the emerging cricket nation played two matches in Chelmsford, the first on 8 May when they faced an Essex XI in a warm-up match before their World Cup match at the venue.

Ronnie Irani won the toss, invited the visitors into bat and watched Mark Ilott remove both keys for ducks in the first couple of overs. However, the tourists bounced back with a brilliant unbeaten century from Vice-Captain and wicketkeeper Khaled Mahmud. He was 108* (5×6s, 9×4s, from 92 balls) as the innings ended on 263-7 at the wicket.

The pick of the Essex attack was Ilott 2/35 from his 10.0 overs and Irani 2/34 from his 9.0 overs.

Rain interrupted Essex’s reply and brought the Duckworth/Lewis system into effect and with the weather easing Essex’s target was 205 from 34.0 overs.

Paul Prichard and Stuart Law both contributed 32 and Tim Walton 44, but the introduction of the spinners swung the game’s fortunes for the tourists as six wickets fell in 9.0 overs to the home side’s 132-7.

It was up to Ilott and wicketkeeper Barry Hyam to reignite the challenge, but despite an attacking display, with a little help from Lady Luck, the pair added 44 to take their side to 176 before the partnership broke with Hyam’s departure. A spirited effort from Ilotts had taken him to 51 not out (32 balls, 4x 6, 1x 4) as the match closed with Essex 199/8 bowled out for 5 runs, allowing the Bangladeshi supporters to celebrate the win with gusto and enthusiasm.

Barry Hyam recalls that Mark (Ilott) and I put together a decent partnership of 44 which took us close to the target before I was caught and bowled, he said. Id scored 16 off 11 balls which included a six and a four but we fell just short.

And the former player, who is now head of the Counties Academy, added: The next day we played England as part of their World Cup warm-up and it turned out to be an even closer game.

They scored 229-7 from their 50 overs but they beat us by one run. Nasser (Hussain) opened for us and scored 82, Stuart Law got 64 and we were 155-2 after 35 overs but again, we just couldn’t get over the line. We were 228-9 at the end.

After narrowly beating Essex, nine days later Bangladesh faced New Zealand in the World Cup. Swarms of Bangladeshi fans turned up to offer passionate support to their cricketing heroes. In addition to ticket holders and those paying to enter, a significant number of Bangladeshi supporters climbed trees and fences to gain entry without permission. Together, however, they gained a reputation as the loudest and most colorfully enthusiastic crowd ever to attend Chelmsford, creating a carnival atmosphere. Unfortunately for them, the events on the field did not go as hoped and the World Cup suffered a comprehensive defeat.

17 May 1999: New Zealand’s Matthew Horne strikes in a Cricket World Cup Group B match against Bangladesh in Chelmsford, England. New Zealand won the game by six runs. Credit: Mike Hewitt/Allsport

Bangladesh were unable to combat the early morning movement when they were bowled and struggled to 51-7 against a formidable pace attack in which Geoff Allott, Chris Cairns and Gavin Larsen found the conditions ideal.

Deemed out of the World Cup, Bangladesh proved a steep learning curve as they were eventually bundled out for 116 in 37.4 overs, with the Kiwis having little trouble completing a 6-wicket success with 17 overs for Matthew Horne (35). ) and Roger Twose (30*) took up the run chase.

Despite the one-sided nature of the match, thousands of Bangladeshi fans cheered their side loudly throughout.

Due to the match being covered by Sky Sports, the county’s security staff had taken precautions to guard the stumps at the end of the game, especially those with cameras. Although one such handheld camera was temporarily lost by an ardent Bangladeshi fan, it was later retrieved by a housekeeper. As a result of this incident, Sky later decided to replace these stumps shortly before the matches ended.

May 17, 1999: Bangladesh’s Hasibul Hussain hits New Zealand’s Gavin Larsen for six in a Cricket World Cup Group B match at Chelmsford, England. New Zealand won the game by six runs. Mandatory credit: Mike Hewitt / Allsport

Between 27 May and 12 July 2010, Bangladesh returned to England to play three one-day internationals and two Test matches. Once again Essex provided the opposition in Chelmsford as part of the tourists’ warm-up before international clashes with a three-day fixture starting on 14 May.

Essex rested some of their regular side, allowing fast bowler Max Osborne and all-rounder Michael Comber to make their first-class debuts. And both claimed points for their landmark appearances, but the standout return came from Maurice Chambers with 4/32, his best to date with first-class figures.

The tourists, who were put into bat, were dismissed for 231 in their first innings before opener John Maunders scored 126 from a total of 313 as the hosts replied. The former Leicestershire player spent 38 minutes in the 90s before reaching triple figures. He scored 110 points with Matt Walker scoring 45 points before retiring. Grant Flower, captain of the Essex team, posted 46 before the innings with the last 3 wickets adding just 4 runs.

In their second visit to the middle, the tourists found progress difficult against a young and inexperienced Essex attack who bowled out their opposition for 211 with Tony Palladino and Osborne sharing 6 wickets, while Chambers and Comber collected two apiece.

With Essex set for 130, they wobbled to 78 for five before a composed Flower (34*) combined with Adam Wheater (19*) for an unbeaten 52-run partnership to see their side over the line and complete a 5-over success in one session.

John Maunders made the most of Bangladesh’s inexperienced pace attack in his eighth first-class spell