/ 17 May 2004

Disciplined bowling leads Windies to victory

Dwayne Smith hit a run-a-ball 62 on Sunday and added two wonderful outfield catches to help lead the West Indies to a series-clinching 23-run victory over Bangladesh in a shortened one-day international at Arnos Vale.

The West Indies have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series going into the final match in Grenada on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old Smith slammed two fours and two sixes to build the foundations of the home team’s 124 for seven off 25 overs in the rain-shortened contest.

Bangladesh lost crucial early wickets again and never seemed likely to mount a successful chase. The visitors limped to 101 for eight off their 25 overs.

Pacer Fidel Edwards provided the initial strikes and finished with two for 19 off five overs. Left-arm seamer Ian Bradshaw ensured there would be no mid-innings revival with three for 15 off five overs.

Dwayne Bravo chipped in with two for 23 off five overs.

Opener Hannan Sarkar held together the middle order with 36 off 55 balls. The right-hander hit two fours.

After Bangladesh slumped to 39 for five in the 12th over, Sarkar and Manzarul Islam Rana added 32 to loosen the West Indies’ grip.

But the required run rate continued to rise and Bradshaw picked up Sarkar and Khaled Mahmud as they tried to break free.

Left-hander Manzarul finished 33 not out off 43 balls.

Earlier, the West Indies were restricted to a scoring rate of 4,96 runs an over by steady bowling and sharp fielding.

Fast-medium bowler Tapash Baishya was the pick of the attack with four for 16 from five overs, the best figures by a Bangladeshi bowling in their 87 one-day internationals. The tourists did not bowl a wide or a no-ball in the 25 overs.

The West Indies relied on Smith for their total. The Barbadian controlled the innings after the dismissal of left-handed opener Chris Gayle for seven.

The powerful right-hander hit two huge leg-side sixes and two fours to record his highest score in his 13th one-day international. His one blemish was a missed return catch by left-arm spinner Manzural Islam Rana when he was on 25.

Ricardo Powell scored 20 and captain Ramnaresh Sarwan 18 but no one was allowed to dominate the Bangladeshi bowling.

Baishya claimed all four wickets in his second spell of two overs as the West Indies tried to launch an all-out attack.

The 21-year-old removed Sarwan to a spooned catch to backward point off the leading edge. In the same over, Bravo fell for a first-ball duck as he prodded a catch to extra cover.

Baishya returned to claim Ridley Jacobs and Sylvester Joseph off the last two balls of the innings.

Jacobs lost his off stump trying to hit over the top, while Joseph swatted a catch straight to deep midwicket. — Sapa-AP