‘We just weren’t able to keep him out of the game’ – Nahid Rana gets praise from Alex Carey

Nahid Rana (Photo Source: Bangladesh Cricket)

Australian wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey has revealed that experiencing the pace of Nahid Rana firsthand was a different experience after their 86-run loss to Bangladesh in the first ODI in Dhaka.

Defending a total of 284, Rana was at his fierce best, finishing as the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4 for 41. He picked up two top-order wickets of Carey and skipper Josh Inglis on a wicket that was conducive to his high pace and bounce.

Carey stated that Rana’s pace and bounce made him difficult to face firsthand but hopes that his team will be ready for the challenge come the next two ODIs.

“Yeah, he bowled really well. I think we all knew the pace, but I guess until you face it firsthand—he’s a really tall athlete and gets a bit of bounce as well. So yeah, no, he bowled really well, is what I will say. And we’ve got now a chance to play against him in the next, you know, two ODIs here on Thursday and Sunday, and hopefully, we can keep him out of the series from now on,” Carey told reporters on Tuesday.

“First look at a lot of their quicks for our batters. And clearly, he was a standout tonight with a bit of extra pace, a bit of extra bounce on a wicket that I guess allows that pace and bounce… Our batters now have had a look at their pace attack and spinners as well, and hopefully, we can respond,” he added.

Rana further added the wickets of debutant Liam Scott and Xavier Bartlett in his second spell. Carey stated that the batters were unable to keep the pacer out in his second spell but backed his team to be able to keep the fast bowler out.

“I thought second spell he came back and we knew what to expect, I guess. We just weren’t able to keep him out of the game. But that’s what you expect as well, is some fast bowlers getting into the contest. So yeah, hopefully, like I said a couple of times, we can change that and keep him out of the series moving forward,” he added.

A pivotal moment in the match came when Rana and Inglis were engaged in a heated war of words after the latter was dismissed. Carey mentioned that he had not caught up with the skipper after the incident but noted its heated nature.

“Words exchanged? No, I haven’t caught up with Josh. No, I think that’s—that’s what we want in cricket. Yeah, a bit of spice. You don’t want to take it over the edge, clearly. But I thought that’s two players getting into the contest. So, I don’t know what the words were exchanged, though,” he said.

The second and third ODIs will also be played in Dhaka, on June 11 and 14, respectively.

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