January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
Bermuda humbled by Afghanistan
Bermuda humbled by Afghanistan
The confidence and optimism that pulsed through the Bermuda camp in the run-up to this tournament had all but evaporated last night as Gus Logie's shell shocked squad watched in silence as their opponents accepted the post match plaudits. The Afghans are followed everywhere by a large media contingent -including a documentary film crew - captivated by the story of a squad who found a love for the game in the poverty stricken refugee camps of northern Pakistan before returning to their war-torn country to inspire an improbable, and seemingly unstoppable run towards the World Cup.
With two wins in two games in this competition following a run of three successive tournament victories to get to this stage, it seems the filmmakers will get the Hollywood ending they are looking for.
For Bermuda it's a different story. Two heavy defeats in successive games against the so-called minnows of the group and they are staring early elimination in the face.
A win against Denmark on Saturday is now a must just to stay alive in this tournament, with heavyweights Kenya and the Netherlands lying in wait next week.
After the defeat to the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, skipper Irving Romaine said - "It's about guts now; it's about who wants it more."
Yesterday it was clear the Afghans wanted it more.
Tourists flock to South Africa's game reserves to see the so-called "big five" of the natural world. But they only needed to visit Senwes Park yesterday to see all those attributes on display from the Afghan side - they ran in the field like cheetahs, bowled, at times, with the ferocity of tigers and played for their war-torn country with the pride and heart of a lion.
Bermuda looked pedestrian by comparison. But it would be wrong to dismiss the Afghans as a mere totem of their humiliation.
On the evidence of today's performance Afghanistan are an excellent side.
There was quality in every department: an aggressive opener in Karim Sadiq who set the platform for victory with a blistering 83; a resolute and composed skipper in man-of-the-match Norooz Mangol who held the innings together with a perfectly paced unbeaten 71 and a bowling attack that included seamers of genuine pace and control and a leg-spinner who could turn the ball square.
More importantly they are bound by a collective sense of purpose and belief that they are destined to succeed. The sad fact is that as new nations - many of them bolstered by expats from top cricket countries - begin to emerge on the expanding world cricket scene, it is only going to get tougher for Bermuda.
There were actually some decent individual performances here. But not enough.
After a disastrous start which saw Karim spraying Bermuda's seamers all over the park as Afghanistan sped to 128 for 1 in 28 overs a score of 300-plus looked on the cards.
But Bermuda, led by the excellent spin bowling of Rodney Trott (2 for 33) and Sluggo (1 for 33), turned it round. At one stage five wickets fell in the space of a handful of overs with just 30 runs added to the total.
But with the Afghans on the back foot, Bermuda failed to turn the screw. And Mangal brought his side home with a nerveless innings as they smashed 55 off the last five overs.
A target of 248 to win was gettable. But not without a better batting performance than Bermuda had produced so far on this tour.
And when Lionel Cann was bowled third ball of the innings for a duck, the chances of a flying start diminished. Facing up to two pacy, energetic openers, with the ball zipping and seaming about, Bermuda were quickly in trouble.
Edness went for one and with the score at 7 for 2 off five overs it was left to Blakeney and Outerbridge to pull Bermuda out of trouble.
A hundred partnership from the left handed pair put Bermuda back in the game. But with the run-rate required for victory creeping towards eight an over they were forced to push the pedal to the metal. Afghanistan kept it tight and Bermuda's innings crumbled.
Blakeney chopped on to his own stumps on 68 and then a succession of wickets fell as Bermuda's middle order bats tried to swing their way to an increasingly unlikely victory.
By the final five overs Stefan Kelly and Dwayne Leverock were left to try and hang in there and bat out the full 50 overs.
They were denied even that and Karim Sadiq wrapped up the victory for Afghanistan trapping Kelly leg before wicket with four balls remaining.
Over-by-over run down
Bermuda - all out 179. Kelly falls lbw. 49 overs: Bermuda 178 for 9. Target 240
One more from that over. Bermuda are just going through the motions of completing the game.
It's technically impossible for them to win now.
48 overs: Bermuda 177 for 9. Target 240
Amid the disappointment of Bermuda's defeat let's not forget the Afghan story in all this... they are on the verge of history here.
47 overs: Bermuda 177 for 9. Target 240
Kelly and Leverock are just trying to hang on and bat out the overs now.
63 runs needed to win off 18 balls if anyone's interested.
46 overs: Bermuda 176 for 9. Target 240
Just one off that over. The Afghans are fielding like tigers.
They want this World Cup spot bad and after the way they have played today it is there for the taking.
45 overs: Bermuda 175 for 9. Target 240
Just one from that over. Not much left to say really.
Two days in and Bermuda's hopes of qualifying for the World Cup have diminished to almost nil.
Wicket!: Bermuda 174 for 9 after 44 overs. Target 240
Outerbridge has gone for 6 2. He carves a cover drive through the off-side for four, then top edges a pull and is victim to a superb running catch.
If Bermuda had any hope in this match it's gone now.
Wicket!: Bermuda 167 for 8 after 43 overs. Target 240
O'Brien is clean bowled by Hasan. It's almost over now.
Is this the end of Bermuda's World Cup Qualifying campaign?
42 overs: Bermuda 164 for 7. Target 240
O'Brien is having a crack. A four and a six in successive balls, then a nice flick off his pads for two.
Then a swing and a miss.
13 from that over. Bermuda need 8 more like it.
Wicket! Bermuda 151 for 7 after 41 overs. Target 240
Trott is clean bowled for 2 and it's all falling apart for Bermuda.
It's going to take a miraculous performance now from Outerbridge - still in on 53 not out - and O'Brien to stop Bermuda from falling to a heavy defeat.
Wicket! Bermuda 148 for 6 after 40 overs. Target 240
A late cut for four from Romaine and then two balls later he's out - caught behind for 9.
93 to win from ten overs.
39 overs: Bermuda 144 for 5. Target 240
Pacer Hamid Hasan is into the attack and immediately gives away a couple of wides.
He looks quick - but wayward. Romaine top edges a hook for four then plays and misses against a quicker delivery.
Wicket! Bermuda 136 for 5 from 38 overs. Target 240
Hemp comes down the wicket, misses, and is clean bowled for three.
Romaine is in now. A captain's innings is required now.
37 overs: Bermuda 133 for 4. Target 240
Hemp sweeps for one.
Outerbridge picks up a quickly taken single and Hemp takes one more with an identical sweep shot.
that's it for the over as the required rate creeps above 8 for the first tie.
Cool heads required now.
Wicket!: Bermuda 129 for 4 after 36 overs. Target 240
Two for Tucker, straight through the fielder. It was too powerful for him to stop.
He takes a couple of big swings and misses. Then he's out - stumped - trying the same thing. Hemp is in and off the mark with a single.
111 required to win from 14 overs.
Wicket!: Bermuda 126 for 3. Target 240, 35 overs gone
Blakeney's gone for 68.
He belts a big six over mid-on, then takes two more through the off-side.
But the next ball he's out. Trying the same shot, he edges on to his own stumps.
Bermuda have pushed in-form Janeiro Tucker up the order as they look for quick runs.
34 overs: Bermuda 117 for 2. Target 240
Blakeney 60, Outerbridge 51
this is the critical stage in the game - and indeed the tournament.
Bermuda must push the pedal to the metal. These two are itching to get the momentum going but its tough out there.
There's nothing on offer for free.
33 overs: Bermuda 116 for 2. Target 240
Blakeney 56, Outerbridge 50
A push for one brings up the hundred partnership.
Then Blakeney top edges for three over the wicket keepers head.
A push brings up Outerbridge's fifty. He barely celebrates. He knows the hard work is yet to be done.
The quicks will be back on soon and Bermuda need to push the accelerator pedal
32 overs: Bermuda 106 for 2. Target 240
Blakeney's starting to swing the bat now as well. He gets a thick edge for a single.
Outerbridge tries to slash one through the off-side but has to settle for a single.
The Afghan spinners are keeping a lock on the scoring rate
31 overs: Bermuda 104 for 2. Target 240
Outerbridge begins to sense the urgency of the situation.
He brings up the 100 with a well-timed on-drive.
The Afghan spinners are still keeeping it tight though.
30 overs: Bermuda 98 for 2. Target 240
Blakeney 50, Outerbridge 42
Blakeney scrambles a quick single to bring up his half-century. But he has injured himself in the process. Physio Craig Brown is on fo a few minutes but Blakeney's okay.
Bermuda require 142 to win from the final 20 overs - 7.1 an over.
29 overs: Bermuda 95 for 2
OUterbridge escapes a big lbw appeal - rightly so.
A handful of singles from the over and Blakeney is kept waiting on 49, still looking for his half century.
28 overs: Bermuda 91 for 2
Blakeney 47, Outerbridge 38
Blakeney's looking for his fifty now. He's one shot away and it looks like he wants to get there with a boundary
25 overs: Bermuda 81 for 2
Blakeney moves into the 40s.
At the current run rate Bermuda are on target for a score of 162 - well short of their 240 target.
But these two have steadied the ship and if they continue to bat sensibly they can put Bermuda into a postion to launch a bid for victory.
Outerbridge is unlucky to get nothing from two powerful drives which are well blocked by the bowler.
24 overs: Bermuda 78 for 2
Outerbridge is playing some sweet strokes now. He picks up two with a well-timed cover drive and then takes a single with a flick of his legs.
23 overs: Bermuda 74 for 2
Blakeney 39, Outerbridge 30
A lull in the action. the spinners are keeping it tight and Outerbridge and Blakeney are playing with understandable caution.
21 overs: Bermuda 68 for 2
An edge from Outerbridge and a misfield brings an all run four.
Then he almost gives a catching chance with a mis-timed drive.
20 overs: Bermuda 63 for 2
Tidy over from Karim and Bermuda are 63 for 2 after 20 - a rate of just over three an over. The required run rate is just under five an over.
19 overs: Bermuda 61 for 2
Blakeney is dropped on 34. He blasts a powerful cover drive in the air that stings the fingers of the diving Shafaq. It would have been a tremendous catch, but it was definitely a chance.
18 overs: Bermuda 55 for 2
Outerbridge breaks the spinners' stranglehold with a late cut for four.
He then mis-cues a drive, but it falls safe.
The fifty is up and Bermuda have recovered from a disastrous start. There's still plenty of work to do though.
17 overs: Bermuda 49 for 2
Another maiden.
Interestingly Afghanistan have yet to turn to Hamid Hassan, the pace man who took 18 wickets in the World Cricket League Division Three.
It looks like they are holding back their trump card for a time when they need it most.
16 overs: Bermuda 49 for 2
Spin from both ends now as Karim Sadiq enters the fray.
Karim made 83 with the bat so he may feel it's his day.
Two from the over.
15 overs: Bermuda 47 for 2
Just the single from that over, Nabi is looking tough to score off.
14 overs: Bermuda 46 for 2
Blakeney 31, Outerbridge 11
Blakeney survives what must be about the 10th lbw appeal against him today. I think they're appealing pretty much every time it hits the pads.
He responds with a full blooded drive back past the bowler for four and then with a lofted drive in the same area for four more
Does he have a hundred in him today? Bermuda could use it now more than ever.
13 overs: Bermuda 38 for 2
There's a bit of turn about for Nabi, who keeps things tight with another maiden over.
12 overs: Bermuda 38 for 2
A couple of well taken singles keep the score ticking over. These two are looking good.
11 overs: Bermuda 35 for 2
A change of bowling as spinner Mohammed Nabi comes into the attack.
Blakeney helps himself to four more with an uppish drive that narrowly avoids the fielder.
he's playing well, but taking chances.
10 overs: Bermuda 31 for 2
Blakeney 18, Outerbridge 9
Blakeney has got his eye in now. He cracks a cut right out of the middle of the bat for four runs, then straight drives down the ground for four more.
He still looks vulnerable to lbw appeals though and is rapped on the pads twice more in that over.
9 overs: Bermuda 22 for 2
Just the one scrambled leg bye from that over as Blakeney survives yet another big lbw shout.
8 overs: Bermuda 21 for 2
Much of this Afghan team learnt to play the game on makeshift pitches in refugee camps in Pakistan.
The game wasn't popular in their home country but grew in popularity among the disenfrachised Afghans fleeing their war-torn homeland in Peshawar.
They're national team was only formed when the opressive Taliban regime legalised cricket in 2000.
they've come a long way since and Bermuda have thier work cut out today to stop them from taking a step closer to what they believe is their destiny - The World Cup.
Five from that over, as Outerbridge begins to find his feet.
7 overs: Bermuda 16 for 2
The ball is zipping and seaming about making life incredibly awkward for the batsmen.
Outerbridge capitalises on an overpitched delivery with a wristy flick for four on the leg side.
But he comes dangeroulsy close to edging the next ball to the keeper.
6 overs: Bermuda 12 for 2
For what seems like the first time, Gul bowls a loose delivery.
Blakeney capitalises driving him through the off-side for four.
Wicket: Bermuda 7 for 2 after 5.2 overs
Edness edges to the keeper and Bermuda are in dire straits.
The wicket-keeper batsman is caught behind off the bowling of Pasti Gul for 1.
5 overs: Bermuda 7 for 1
Ahmadzai is giving nothing away. He's quick and accurate and Blakeney and Edness are finiding it difficult to get any momentum.
4 overs: Bermuda 7 for 1
Blakeney survives another big appeal for lbw, then picks up a single through the off-side.
Edness is solid in defence, settling into his anchor role.
3 overs: Bermuda 6 for 1
We're playing today at the magnificent Senwes park stadium in Potchefstroom - across the street from the more modest surroundings of the University stadium where Bermuda played UAE yesterday.
UAE, incidentally, have already been beaten today - crushed by Kenya, who bowled them out for 79 and then knocked off the runs in 12 overs.
Ominously Bermuda facde the Africans on Monday.
A maiden over.
2 overs: Bermuda 6 for 1
Pasti Gul looks a sharp too. The Afghans have two aggressive quicks to open up.
Blakeney takes the attack back to them with a cut for four.
WICKET: Bermuda 2 for 1 after one over
Edness and Cann open up as Bermuda chase 240 for victory and they are immediatley off to a nightmare start as Cann is clean bowled for a duck.
Quickie Dalwat Ahmadzai jags one back from outside off-stump and sends the bails flying.
He has a big shout for lbw against Blakeney turned down. Ahmadzai, who grew up in a refugee camp in Peshawar, looks like a dangerous customer.
This is going to be tough.
Afghanistan 239 for 8 in 50 overs
A superb display of 'finishing' from Mangal who blasts 14 more from the final over from Tucker to take the Afghans to an imposing 239 for 8.
It's a gettable target on a good batting wicket but Bermuda will need to bat better than they did yesterday.
They made a fantastic comeback in the field after Afghanistan, led by the agressive hitting of Karim Sadiq, had raced to 128 for 1 in 28 overs.
At that point a score of 300 plus was on the cards.
But Bermuda, led by the excellent spin bowling of Rodney Trott and Sluggo, turned it round.
They took their chances in the field, holding every catch and capitalising on a run-out opportunity to turn the innings around. At one stage three wickets fell in three overs, with Trott and Tucker piling on the pressure.
But the Afghans recovered their composure. A fantastic captain's innings from Mangal clubbed them to 239 for 8.
It looks about even right now. There's a big press following for the Afghan team, including a documentary film crew, following their progress.
Will they get the Hollywood ending they are looking for.
Or can Bermuda write a different script.
We'll be back after the lunch break with coverage of Bermuda's run chase.
49 overs: Afghanistan 225 for 8
Another big over for Afghanistan.
Mangal brings up his fifty with a swat to leg side for four and then goes over the top with a lofted drive. 11 from that over.
48 overs: Afghanistan 214 for 8
Afghanistan bring the 200 up in the 48th over. Skipper Mangal brings up the milestone with a drive through the on-side for four.
He's played a solid captain's innings, pushing Afghanistan towards a decent total while his team collapses around him.
Dawlat Ahmadzai ways in with a boundary of his own. 15 from the over.
Wicket!: Afghanistan 195 for 8 after 46 overs
O'Brien clean bowls Gul with a full delivery. the Afghans are taking a few risks in a bid to push on for a competitive score.
That last over went for 11 runs.
45 overs: Afghanistan 184 for 7
Irving Romaine comes on and bowls a maiden over.
44 overs: Afghanistan 184 for 7
Nawroz Mangal is holding the Afghan innnings together.
He's 31 not out, and looking to push the core past 200 - a modest target given the start they had.
42 overs: Afghanistan 176 for 7
Sluggo concludes his overs - another exemplary performance - 1 for 32 from ten. He put the brakes on the Afghan innings before Trott and Tucker really turned this game on it's head.
Wicket!: Afghanistan 174 for 7 after 40 overs
Run out! a mix-up between the two wickets and Romaine fields smartly, throwing to Rodney Trott who swipes the bails and Shinwari is comfortably out of his ground.
Wicket! Afghanistan 157 for 6 after 37 overs
What a turnaround. Rodney Trott, who has bowled superbly - extracting plenty of turn from a dead pitch - takes a fantastic diving catch off his own bowling to get rid of Ahmadzai. Four wickets have now fallen for ten runs.
Wicket! Afghanistan 150 for 5 after 34 overs
Tucker strikes again, They're dropping like flies now as the complexion of the match changes dramatically.
Mohammed Nabi loops an innocuous aerial drive to Sluggo, who takes the catch at mid-on.
Bermuda are back from the dead in this game
Wicket! Afghanistan 147 for 4 after 33 overs
And another!! a spectacular one-handed diving catch from Hemp at mid-on to get rid of the new batsman for a duck and give Rodney Trott his first wicket of the day.
A real opportunity now for Bermuda to swing the balance of this game back in their favour.
This could be the most crucial period of play in the tournament.
Wicket! Afghanistan 147 for 3 after 32 overs
Janiero Tucker gets the vital wicket of Sadiq, who played superbly for 83.
Stephen Outerbridge takes a neat catch running in from the boundary.
hopefully that wicket will energise Bermuda. Heads had dropped in the field, but if they can lock down the two new batsmen they could still restrict the Afghans to a beatable total.
Wicket! Afghanistan 128 for 2 after 28 overs
Leverock makes the breakthrough as Ashgar Stanikzai is caught by Hemp for 38, looping a miscued drive for an easy catch.
The celebrations are fairly muted however as Afghanistan are still well on top.
Spinners Trott and Leverock, bowling in tandem, have put the breaks on, but they can't stay on forever.
And Sadiq is 79 not out and in a good position to push his team on towards 300.
20 overs: 92 for 1
The Afghans are cruising on 92 for 1 and Bermuda are staring down the barrel of an incredibly tough run chase.
Sadiq, unbeaten on 56, is exposing the weaknesses in Bermuda's seam attack.
While UAE yesterday were able to bring on genuine pacers, first and second change, we've had to look to part-time bowlers like Outerbridge and Tucker.
They can do a steady containment job but they are selected as batsman and both would probably admit they are not fiery international strike bowlers.
The seamers clearly hold few fears for Sadiq who is playing good aggressive cricket - even coming down the wicket to Kelly at times.
Leverock is on now, at least, and he picked up where he left off yesterday. Just one run form his first two overs.
But Sadiq is in confident mood and even the spin king is vulnerable to his attacking stroke play.
it's hard to see how Bermuda will turn this round right now.
14 overs: 66 for 1
Not quite the ten over update as promised, but nevertheless...
Afghanistan are on top. Sadiq is doing all the damage, closing in on a run a ball half-century.
He's crashed Tucker for a couple of boundaries off his pads and both batsman are looking fairly comfortable against the medium pacers of Tucker and Outerbridge.
Stefan Kelly took some punishment early on as well, but O'Brien looked dangerous.
WICKET!
Afghanistan 26 for 1 in the fifth over of the day.
O'Brien strikes early, drawing the edge from opener Shafaq. The opener nicked a beautiful delivery from the pacer to wicket-keeper Edness, who took a routine catch.
The seamers have taken some punishment early on though, with Karim Sadiq playing aggressively. He's on 19 from 18 balls.
Pre-amble:
Game Two and after yesterday's result it's a must-win for Bermuda.
Afghanistan have been the most talked about team in this tournament.
Their run of 20 victories and three successive tournament wins to get here has become the stuff of sporting legend.
Like Iraq's Asia Cup winning football team and the Israeli and Palestinian tennis doubles partnership they have provided the kind of 'triumph in adversity' narrative that the media loves.
It's Bermuda that will look to triumph in adversity today, though. With heavyweights the Netherlands and Kenya still to play they cannot afford another loss today.
Afghanistan have won the toss and elected to bat. Bermuda field an unchanged side from the one that lost by four wickets to UAE yesterday.
O'Brien and Kelly open the bowling.
There's probably no-one up in Bermuda right now, so we'll update every ten overs and every wicket initially and then over-by-over later on.
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