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25 overs West Indies 81 for 5 (Bravo 3*, Thomas 0*) v Bangladesh
Elias Sunny got the important wicket of Marlon Samuels © AFP
West Indies' struggles against spin were exposed yet again as they lost four wickets for just eight runs and left the lower order to rebuild the innings at the halfway stage. It was a combination of incisive spin bowling in helpful conditions and impetuous strokes that contributed to their precarious position. Elias Sunny, brought in for a seamer, 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 not 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 charged down and pulled the second ball past midwicket for a boundary, slashed the next over deep backward point and miscued 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. In between, he looked dangerous with a stylish whip off Sunny past midwicket and two more boundaries off Abdur Razzak in one over. 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 Razzak, 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.
Elias Sunny got the important wicket of Marlon Samuels © AFP
West Indies' struggles against spin were exposed yet again as they lost four wickets for just eight runs and left the lower order to rebuild the innings at the halfway stage. It was a combination of incisive spin bowling in helpful conditions and impetuous strokes that contributed to their precarious position. Elias Sunny, brought in for a seamer, 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 not 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 charged down and pulled the second ball past midwicket for a boundary, slashed the next over deep backward point and miscued 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. In between, he looked dangerous with a stylish whip off Sunny past midwicket and two more boundaries off Abdur Razzak in one over. 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 Razzak, 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.