Thursday 21 August 2014 15:57, UK
West Indies overcame an early wobble in their run chase to record a three-wicket triumph in the opening match of the one-day series against Bangladesh, despite a century from Anamul Haque.
Opener Haque made 109 to dominate his side’s total of 217-9 at St George’s in Grenada, and it seemed set to be a match-winning effort when the hosts collapsed to 34-5.
However Denesh Ramdin combined with Kieron Pollard to engineer a recovery, the pair putting on a sixth-wicket stand of 143 in between a break for rain.
Although neither well-set batsman managed to see the job through, Jason Holder hit a breezy 22 not out to rush the West Indies over the line with 62 balls to spare just a day after the departure of coach Ottis Gibson.
Al-Amin Hossain claimed 4-51 for Bangladesh, including dismissing Darren and Dwayne Bravo in his opening spell as the home team’s top-order fell in a heap.
Having already seen Chris Gayle depart to Mashrafe Mortaza for three from 18 balls, West Indies then lost four wickets for 14 runs with the dismissals of the two Bravos sandwiching the fall of Kirk Edwards and Lendl Simmons, who failed to trouble the scorers.
However the stand between Ramdin and Pollard in 21.5 overs turned the game on its head, with not even a delay due to the weather slowing the pair down as boundaries were in plentiful supply.
Ramdin eventually fell for 74, while Pollard was the last of Al-Amin’s wickets when he was caught in the deep for 89. The big-hitting all-rounder had made his runs from just 70 deliveries, smashing six sixes and five fours.
Still, their efforts meant Haque’s third ODI century – and his first outside of Bangladesh – ended up being in a losing cause.
The right-handed batsman put on 41 in partnership with fellow opener Tamim Iqbal (26), then a further 53 with Nasir Hossain (26) for the sixth wicket.
Haque reached his third ODI century by slashing Rampaul to the ropes in between the dismissals of Sohag Gazi (two) and Mortaza (three), before falling lbw to Dwayne Bravo (4-32) from the final ball of Bangladesh’s innings.
The three-match series continues at the same venue on Friday before concluding in Basseterre on August 25.
