West Indies' struggles against spin were exposed yet again as they
scrapped and later recovered to 211 in a match they must win to stay
alive in the series. West Indies lost wickets in a clump - four
specialist batsmen for nine runs, resisted with a watchful stand between
the two Darrens - Bravo and Sammy, stumbled again before the captain
Sammy himself struck late blows to compile a fighting fifty. Sammy's
knock took West Indies to a middling total, but could prove competitive
if their spinners can make a similar impact.
It was a combination of incisive spin bowling in helpful conditions and
impetuous strokes that contributed to West Indies' precarious position
at the start. Bringing in an extra spinner for a seamer was a no-brainer
for the hosts as they looked to pin down West Indies to an ordinary
total. Elias Sunny justified his inclusion with the important wicket of
Marlon Samuels, and there was no respite from the other spinners who got
the ball to turn and bounce and didn't give the batsmen an inch.
Desperate for runs on a tepid tour with the bat, Chris Gayle didn't curb
his natural attacking game. Gayle had a tough time against the off spin
of Sohag Gazi, so his intention was to bully the only seamer, Mashrafe
Mortaza. In one over, Gayle smacked a four and a six before miscuing the
final ball, skying a catch to Gazi at long-off.
Bangladesh's prized victim was always going to be Samuels, fresh from a
century in the second ODI. Samuels offered two chances - both fluffed -
but failed to make the most of those let-offs when he spooned one down
to long-off. He was outsmarted, though, by the field placement as he
gave Sunny the charge and failed to clear the fielder.
It began a procession of wickets as Dwayne Smith missed a straight one
off Abdur Razzak first ball, Kieran Powell was squared up for turn on
the back foot and Kieron Pollard managed a thin outside edge to give
Mahmudullah his first wicket. West Indies needed an in-form batsman to
pilot the innings, but Samuels' departure seemed to have a profound
impact as the likes of Smith and Pollard were left swimming against the
tide.
Devon Thomas' dismissal was an example of how spiteful the pitch was.
Mahmudullah landed it wide outside off and the ball spun back in
sharply, clipped the top of the pads and knocked the bails. Bravo and
Sammy then made a slow recovery, giving the spinners their due and
pinched the singles in a stand of 43, the best of the innings.
Bangladesh set attacking fields, but Bravo managed to fetch the odd
boundary, sweeping and driving past the covers.
Bravo had done well to negotiate the spinners by playing the ball late,
but ultimately fell cheaply when he chipped one back to the Gazi to
depart for 34. It was left to Sammy to muster as much as he could with
the tailenders. His first six, off Mahmudullah, was hit straight back
and he tried to repeat that off Mortaza but was lucky to be dropped by
Gazi at deep midwicket. That let off cost Bangladesh 30 runs as Sammy
tore into the spinners in the final two overs with only No.11 Kemar
Roach for company.
West Indies smacked 81 off the last ten overs to give the bowlers some
runs to work with. How Bangladesh tackle Sunil Narine, who took four in
the last game, will determine their progress towards the target.
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