Monday, August 3, 2009

Wake up call

The West Indies romped to a five-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a Twenty20 match on Sunday after a disciplined bowling performance and four run outs from direct hits in the field.

The home team, weakened throughout the series by the absence of its leading players due to contract wrangles, finally won its first match against Bangladesh on tour after the visitors had swept the preceding test and one-day series.

The West Indies, led by two wickets and two run outs from Darren Sammy, limited Bangladesh to 118-9 off 20 overs at Warner Park.

The hosts lost a wicket on the first ball of its reply but Devon Smith (37 off 27 balls) and Travis Dowlin (37 not out off 37 balls) forged the comfortable path to victory at 119-5 with 19 balls to spare.

Bangladesh, after winning the toss and batting, dipped into early trouble when three wickets fell in five balls with the score at 12.

Medium-pacer Sammy (2-33) led the way as Junaid Siddique (5) and Mohammad Ashraful (0) were dispatched off successive deliveries.

Siddique sliced into the off side from the leading edge, while Ashraful scooped straight to short fine leg. Fast bowler Gavin Tonge added the scalp of Tamim Iqbal (7) next over as the left-hander clipped an ondrive to midwicket.

Captain Shakib-al-Hasan and Naeem Islam revived the visitors in a fourth-wicket stand of 31. But once Shakib was bowled around his back by Nikita Miller's left-arm spin and Naeem was the first of the four run outs, the innings fell away again.

Shakib was bowled around his legs as he missed a sweep while wicketkeeper Devon Thomas easily ran out Naeemafter the batsman sought a single.

Bangladesh slipped to 66-7 as Miller (2-22) added his second scalp as Raqibul was lbw sweeping and Mushfiqur Rahim was run out by Andre Fletcher.

Mahmudullah (21 off 27 balls) guided the lower order but Bangladesh's total was well below par.

Dale Richards chopped Shakib onto his stumps the first ball of West Indies' chase as Bangladesh sniffed a chance.

But left-hander Smith dominated a second wicket stand of 46 with Fletcher to put West Indies on course.

Fletcher (8) fell to Nazmul Hossain and Smith departed to fellow fast bowler Rubel Hossain at 67-3.

But Dowlin, one of the new West Indian players to enhance his reputation in this series, hit five fours, including the winning runs, to seal a satisfying win.

Captain Floyd Reifer added 22 off 20 balls and although he and vice-captain Sammy fell to Ashraful near the end, the victory was never in doubt.

No comments: