The West Indies survived a panic attack to scrape a one-wicket victory against Bangladesh in the first one-day cricket international at Arnos Vale on Saturday.
Chasing a paltry 145 to win, the West Indies collapsed from 81 for two to 133-9 before all-rounder Ian Bradshaw and last man Fidel Edwards carried the home side to victory in the 47th over.
Bangladesh scored only 144-8 off 50 overs, but almost beat the West Indies for the first time, which would have been only their fifth win in 90 one-dayers.
Ricardo Powell top-scored with 52 but the rest of the West Indies batsmen failed to cope with a slow pitch and disciplined slow and medium-paced bowling.
Left-arm spinner Manjurul Islam Rana led the visitors’ attack with three for 21 off 10 overs. Khaled Mahmud’s medium pace earned 2-15 off 10 to stifle the top order. There were also two crucial late run-outs.
The West Indies gave no indication of the chaos that was to follow when Powell’s half-century charted a victory course at 119-4 in the 39th over.
But suddenly, captain Ramnaresh Sarwan holed out to deep midwicket and sparked a collapse in which five wickets tumbled for 14 runs to leave Bangladesh as favourites.
Sarwan hit two fours and a six in 22 before he fell to Rajin Saleh’s off-spin.
Dwayne Smith followed four runs later as he was neatly stumped off Islam Rana.
The run outs of Ridley Jacobs (1) in the 41st over and Dwayne Bravo (16) in the 42nd at 126-8 indicated the panicked state of the West Indies innings and pushed the Bangladesh towards a famous victory.
Tino Best, who starred earlier with the ball, could not repeat with the bat and was plumb leg before for two trying to swipe Islam Rana at 133-9.
But Bradshaw hit a Saleh full toss for six and Edwards nudged two strokes through the leg side off Mohammad Rafique for the winning runs as the pair brought relief to the West Indies with 3,2 overs to spare.
Earlier, Bangladesh started off losing its first three wickets for five runs, two wickets in the first over by Best, who grabbed 4-35 on debut.
New-ball mate Edwards supported well with 2-24 off 10 overs while Bradshaw claimed 2-11 off 10 overs of miserly left-arm medium pace and was named man of the match.
The Caribbean side let a commanding position slip after Bangladesh slumped to 82-8. The tourists were revived by an unbroken ninth-wicket partnership of 62 between Khaled Mashud and Rafique.
Wicketkeeper Mashud, a former captain, topscored with 32 not out off 75 deliveries. Left-hander Rafique, at 33 the oldest Bangladesh player, hit an enterprising unbeaten 30 off 59 balls, including the only six of the innings.
After Bangladesh was reduced to 5-3, Saleh and Mohammad Ashraful added 38 for the fourth wicket to stall the rampant Best and Edwards.
But Edwards returned for a second spell and fashioned another breakthrough. The 19-year-old Ashraful snicked a low catch to wicketkeeper Jacobs after scoring 17 off 31 balls. The diminutive right-hander hit two of the three fours in the innings.
The 20-year-old Saleh followed for 20 at 51-5 when he sparred a Bradshaw lifter to Jacobs.
Bradshaw added the cheap wicket of Alok Kapali, who spooned a pull to mid-on.
When Best returned and dismissed Mushfiqur Rahman (13) and Khaled Mahmud (0), the visitors were in danger of falling below 100.
But Mashud and Rafique used their experience to give the total some respectability. It almost proved to be a match-winning association.
The second of three matches is at the same ground on Sunday. — Sapa-AP