India trounce Bangladesh by innings and 239 runs, clich series 1-0

Dhaka, May 27 (UNI) India wrapped up the series in style annihilating Bangladesh by an innings and 239 runs inside three days, bowling out the hosts for 253 in their second essay in the final Test at the Mirpur Stadium here today.

After the first test at Chittagong ended in a tame draw courtesy severe truncated rains, India came back strongly to complete the rout within three days here and pocket the series 1-0.

The Indian top order was in spate as they put up a mammoth 610 for three in the first innings to bury Bangladesh even before their batting started. They also created a record for the first time in the game's history with top four batsmen scoring centuries -- Wasim Jaffer (138 retired hurt), Dinesh Kaarthik (129), Rahul Dravid (129) and Sachin Tendulkar (122 not out).

Alltogether 15 wickets tumbled today as India recorded their second innings victory against Bangladesh, the first being in 2004 in Chittagong when the visitors defeated Bangladesh by an innings and 83 runs.

The result was evident after Bangladesh was bundled out for 118 in the first innings. They never recovered from there as the Indians wrapped up the match within two innings combined 95 overs.

At three for 10 in their second stint with the bat, it looked like an abject surrender from the hosts. But only vice-captain Mohammed Ashrafful had other ideas. Before the Indian bowlers could understand, he got stuck into them racing to his 50 off just 26 balls. He brought up his seventh half century in style hitting Ishant Sharma to the fence. While he was at the wicket, he raised visions of doing the improbable.

Witnessing Ashrafful's onslaught, Dravid brought in his most trusted lieutenant Anil Kumble. But initially, Kumble too went for some stick, before pulling one short and slow to see Ashrafful flick of his legs for Tendulkar to take a good low catch. In his 41 ball 67-runs innings, he massacred 12 boundaries and two sixes.

His 27-minute essay also eclipsed a 113-year-old record of fastest 50 in Test cricket in minutes set by England's J T Brown against Australia in Melbourne in 1894-95. Brown achieved the feat in 28 minutes.

Ashrafful and Rajen Saleh brough up the most productive partnership of Bangladesh's innings of 81-runs for the fourth wicket. After he left Saleh continued briskly before being taken by Ganguly in the deep off Ramesh Pawar for 42.

Interestingly, the ball before his dismissal, he tried to lift Pawar over long-on only to see Ishant Sharma floor a good running catch. But it seemed he didn't learn from his mistake as in the very next ball Ganguly gobbled him in the mid-wicket. After Saleh, Shakibul (13) and Mashud (8) also went back without much resistance as India went a step close to victory.

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