Ben Stokes is eyeing the top of the One-Day International rankings after guiding England to victory over Bangladesh.

The Durham all-rounder followed his century in the opening fixture of the three match series with a decisive unbeaten 47 in yesterday's decider in Chittagong.

“It’s a big achievement,” said Stokes, who held of competition from Nottinghamshire fast bowler Jake Ball to take the man of the series accolade.

“They are a very tough team to beat in their home conditions. Really good teams have come here and haven’t quite managed to do enough to beat them.

“To come out here with the inexperience we have and to win is a credit to where we are and where we want to be going forward.

“We want to be world number one,” he added.

“If we keep playing the cricket we have done then a few teams will be worried about playing us. We’ve beaten really good teams in the last 18 months. The new team and the way we want to play is really paying off.

“Everyone involved in the unit, the players and management, are buying into the way we want to play. Everyone is of the same mindset.”

Bangladesh were unbeaten in six home ODI series heading into the three game contest with England, a record they had already guarded jealously in emerging victorious by 34 runs at Dhaka three days earlier, squaring the series at 1-1.

Starting on time in spite of earlier rain, England won the toss, elected to field and watched former Notts Outlaw Tamim Iqbal (45*), together with Imrul Kayes (46*), put on 80 for the first wicket, giving the hosts the perfect platform.

Both were caught in the 40s – Kayes at square leg off Stokes and Tamim at short-extra off Adil Rashid, the first of four wickets for the Yorkshire leg spinner as the home side limped to 192-6 in the 39th over.

Mushfiqur Rahim (67*) and Mosaddek Hossain (38*), however, added 85 which propelled Bangladesh to a testing total of 277 for six from their 50 overs.

Jake Ball, having bowled with the new ball and at the death, produced respectable figures of 0-44 from eight overs, completing analysis of seven wickets at 19.86 in his maiden ODI series.

England’s new-look opening pair of James Vince and Sam Billings gave the tourists a steady start in reply.

But, having added 63, England’s best opening stand of the series, Vince walked across his stumps was trapped lbw by Nasir Hossain for 32.

Billings advanced confidently to a maiden ODI half-century before a top-edged sweep off off Mosaddek signaled his demise, caught by Kayes on the boundary.

Bairstow played across the line and was bowled by Shafiul Islam for 15. However, Duckett at the other end was confirming his class by advancing to a second fifty in three matches.

The Northamptonshire left-hander had reached 63 when he was brilliantly caught down the leg-side by Mushfiqur behind the stumps.

Buttler (25*) and Stokes added 48 but two wickets in quick succession – the captain dragging onto his stumps and Ali caught off a slower ball - threw the game into the balance at 236-6 with 42 runs still required.

Stokes found the perfect ally in the equally composed Woakes whose two driven boundaries proved crucial and who struck the winning runs, a six, with 13 deliveries remaining.

"I think we probably learnt form the other day when we were tentative," said the stand-in captain, Buttler.

"Guys were made aware of that. We had a good chat before we went out to bat. We wanted to be aggressive.

“We lost a few wickets that kept Bangladesh interested. We did enough.

“Chases haven't been high here so to go and do that with a young and inexperienced side is a testament for us."

 

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