Bangladesh Take First Series With Tight Win

Shakib-al-Hasan hit a six during 65-runs innings.

Dominica: Bangladesh won their first One-day series against a current Test nation when they defeated West Indies by three wickets in the second match at Windsor Park on Tuesday.

Two days after beating West Indies in a One-dayer for the first time, Bangladesh chased down the home side's 274-6 in 50 overs, including an unbeaten century by Travis Dowlin, by reaching 276-7 with an over to spare.

Bangladesh can go for the two-Test and three-ODI sweep on Friday at St. Kitts.

Bangladesh were led by captain Shakib-al-Hasan, who cracked 65 off 61 balls, and Mohammad Ashraful, who hit 64 off 77 deliveries.

They had solid support from the entire top order.

Left-handers Tamim Iqbal (29) and Junaid Siddique (23) shared an opening stand of 46, while Raqibul Hasan (20) and Mushfiqur Rahim (31) helped steel the middle order.

David Bernard was responsible for removing both openers as Bangladesh slipped to 64-2.

First, he claimed Siddique with the ball then pulled off a sensational one-handed catch at midwicket off pacer Kemar Roach to dispatch Tamim.

Ashraful then forged two half-century partnerships to tilt the balance back to the Tigers.

He and Raqibul added 52 for the third wicket, followed by an even more destructive stand of 74 off 64 balls with his skipper.

Bernard claimed Raqibul to a lofted drive to extra cover but that failed to halt Bangladesh's momentum.

Ashraful and Shakib were cruising when Ashraful gifted his wicket as he lofted leg-spinner Rawl Lewis to long-off at 190-4 in the 37th over. Ashraful, who also hit a half century in the opening match victory, struck three fours and a six off 77 balls.

Shakib and Mushfiqur soon dulled the home crowd again in a stand of 48 for the fifth wicket.

But in a frantic finale, the tourists almost threw it away.

Darren Sammy grabbed the wicket of Shakib, who sliced a catch to short third man after hitting two fours and a six off 61 balls.

Wicketkeeper Devon Thomas, on debut, was called out from behind the stumps once Roach had been banned from the attack for two beamers and the 19-year-old grabbed two wickets to suggest a fairytale ending for the home team.

Mahmudullah clipped to square leg while Mushfiqur slapped a full toss to extra cover at 261-7.

But Naeem Islam and Abdur Razzak were levelheaded as they led their side home with an unbeaten stand of 15 off 18 balls.

Razzak hit the winning boundary with a sliced four over short third man off Bernard.

Earlier, Dowlin's brilliant, unbeaten 100 off 117 balls gave West Indies hope. The 32-year-old, in only his second match, struck six fours and a six off 117 balls. He paced his innings superbly, with his first 50 occupying 88 deliveries before he exploded for 50 off his next 29 balls.

Before he appeared, West Indies received an encouraging start after winning the toss.

Dale Richards (20) and Andre Fletcher (22) added 33 off the first five overs but Bangladesh struck back once spin was introduced.

Fletcher perished to the first ball from skipper Shakib's left-arm spin, slicing a catch to cover.

Richards fell at 52-2, run out as he ended up in the same crease as Smith after a mix-up.

Smith and Dowlin gradually rebuilt the innings in the face of a disciplined Bangladesh spin attack.

Just as they were beginning to blossom, Smith also departed to a run out. This time, it was Tamim's brilliant direct hit from deep square leg that did the damage.

Smith struck one four and one six off 62 balls.

Captain Floyd Reifer's tortured return to international cricket continued when he fell for 7 as he slapped a wide ball from Naeem to backward point at 134-4 in the 33rd over.

But Dowlin and the home team's all-rounders rallied in the latter overs.

The last 10 overs realized 98 runs, including the batting powerplay of five overs that produced 50 runs.

Bernard struck two fours, Lewis launched two sixes and Sammy closed the innings with a flurry that included four fours.

Dowlin, who missed out on a maiden century when he fell for 95 in the second Test, endured one bit of luck when Syed Rasel just failed to cling onto a diving return catch with Dowlin on 97.

The Guyanese brought up his century of the second ball of the final over, with a nudge into the off side.

Brief Score: Bangladesh 276 for 7 (Shakib 65, Ashraful 64) beat West Indies 274 for 5 (Dowlin 100*, Smith 44) by three wickets.