When Bangladesh took to the field to meet Ireland in the first of their three-match ODI Series, it was the fourth time in their cricketing history that they have appeared at Chelmsford.
These upcoming fixtures offer a great opportunity for Bangladesh to hone their skills ahead of the World Cup having qualified via their successful Super League campaign but for their opponents, it’s make or break time. The men in green needed to win all three matches to retain hopes of automatic qualification for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, to be hosted by India.
Bangladesh, a country in South Asia with a population of around 169 million people in an area of 148,460 square kilometres is among the most densely populated countries in the world.
In 1999, the emerging cricket nation played two matches at Chelmsford, the first on May 08, when they faced an Essex XI in a warm-up match ahead of their World Cup match at the venue.
Ronnie Irani won the toss, invited the visitors to bat and watched Mark Ilott remove both openers for ducks in his first couple of overs. However, the tourists recovered led by a superb unbeaten century from vice-captain and wicket-keeper Khaled Mahmud. He was 108* (5×6’s, 9×4’s, from 92 balls) when the innings closed on 263-7 wickets.
Pick of the Essex attack were Ilott with 2/35 from his 10.0 overs and Irani with 2/34 from 9.0 overs.
Rain interrupted the Essex reply and brought the Duckworth/Lewis system into effect and when the weather relented, the target for Essex 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 fortunes of the game to the tourists as 6 wickets went down in 9.0 overs to reduce the home side to 132-7.
It was left to Ilott and wicket-keeper Barry Hyam to re-ignite the challenge but despite an attacking exhibition with a little help from Lady Luck, the pair added 44 taking their side to 176 before the partnership was broken with the departure of Hyam. Ilott’s spirited effort had carried him to 51 not out (32 balls, 4x 6, 1x 4) when the match was completed with Essex 199/8 and beaten by 5 runs thus allowing the Bangladesh supporters to celebrate the victory in lively and enthusiastic manner.
Barry Hyam recalls, “Mark (Ilott) and I put together a decent partnership of 44 which took us close to the target before I was dismissed caught and bowled,” he said. “I’d scored 16 from 11 balls that included a six and a four but we just fell short.”
And the former player who is now the County’s Academy Director added: “The next day, we played England as part of their World Cup warm-up and that proved to be an even closer match.
“They scored 229-7 for 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 failed to get over the line. We were 228-9 at the end.”
Having narrowly overcome Essex, nine days later Bangladesh faced New Zealand in the World Cup. Swarms of Bangladesh fans arrived to offer passionate support their cricketing heroes. In addition to those holding tickets and paying for entry, a significant number the Bangladesh supporters climbed trees and fences to gain unauthorised entry. Collectively though they gained the reputation of being the noisiest and most colourful enthusiastic crowd ever to attend Chelmsford creating a carnival atmosphere. Unfortunately for them, events ton the field did not go as hoped and the World Cup minnows succumbed to a comprehensive defeat.
17 May 1999: Matthew Horne of New Zealand bats during the Cricket World Cup Group B match against Bangladesh played at Chelmsford, England. New Zealand won the game by 6 wickets. Credit: Mike Hewitt /Allsport
Bangladesh failed to contend with the early morning movement after being put into and struggled to 51-7 against a formidable pace attack in which Geoff Allott, Chris Cairns and Gavin Larsen found conditions ideal.
Rated as rank outsiders in the World Cup competition, Bangladesh proved they were undertaking a steep learning curve when they finally bowled out for 116 in 37.4 overs and the Kiwis had few problems in completing a 6-wickets success with 17 overs as Matthew Horne (35) and Roger Twose (30*) took control of the runs pursuit.
Despite the one-sided nature of the match, the thousands of Bangladeshi fans maintained their vociferous backing for their side throughout.
With the match covered by Sky Sports, the county’s security staff had taken precautions to guard the stumps at the conclusion of the game, particularly those with cameras. Although temporarily one such stump cam was lost to a keen Bangladeshi fan, it was later retrieved by a steward. It was as a result of that incident that Sky subsequently decided to change those stumps shortly before the conclusion of matches.
17 May 1999: Hasibul Hussain of Bangladesh hits Gavin Larsen of New Zealand for six runs during the Cricket World Cup Group B match played at Chelmsford, England. New Zealand won the game by 6 wickets. Mandatory Credit: Mike Hewitt /Allsport
Between 27 May and 12 July 2010, Bangladesh returned to England playing three One Day Internationals and two Test matches. Once again, Essex provided the opposition at Chelmsford as part of the tourists warm-up ahead of the international clashes with a three-day match commencing on 14 May.
Essex rested a number of their regular side allowing fast bowler Max Osborne and all-rounder Michael Comber to make their first-class debuts. And both claimed wickets for their landmark appearance but the eye-catching return came from Maurice Chambers with 4/32, his best first-class figures to date.
The tourists, put into bat, were dismissed for 231 in their first innings before opener John Maunders scored 126 in a total of 313 all out when the hosts replied. The former Leicestershire batter spent 38 minutes in the 90’s before reaching three figures and figured in a partnership of 110 with Matt Walker who scored 45 before being dismissed. Grant Flower, captaining the Essex side posted 46 before the innings capitulated with the final 3 wickets only adding 4 runs.
In their second visit to the middle, tourists again found progress difficult against the young and inexperienced Essex attack who bowled out their opponents for 211 with Tony Palladino and Osborne sharing 6 wickets whilst Chambers and Comber collected two apiece.
Having been set 130 for victory, Essex wobbled to 78 for five before the composed Flower (34*), together with Adam Wheater (19*), posted an unbeaten 52 runs partnership to see their side across the finishing line and complete a 5-wickets success with a session to spare.
John Maunders made the most of Bangladesh’s inexperienced pace attack with his eighth first-class
