Windies crush B'desh by 99 runs to register 1st Super Eights win

Bridgetown, Barbados, Apr 19 (UNI) Ramnaresh Sarwan top-scored with a classy unbeaten 91 as the West Indies demolished Bangladesh by 99 runs here today to register their first victory in the Super Eights.

On a pitch that offered much pace and bounce, the 231-run target proved too much for the Bangladesh batsmen who were bundled out for a paltry 131 by the West Indian bolwers in the 44th over.

In a match where pride more than anything else was at stakes, 230 for five by the hosts proved much more than within the reach of the crumbling Bangladeshis, as they lost their first five wickets with scoreboard reading just 35 runs.

Like a hot knife into a mound of butter, Powell and Collymore decimated the Bangladeshi line-up despite a number of dropped catches.

Fired up in front of a sell out crowd, after a not so good batting performance, Colleymore and Powell brought the spectators alive with a fiery line that reminded the famed bowling attack of seventies.

West Indies struck in the sixth over through a run out and after that there was no stopping them as the Bangladesh batsmen competed against one another to return back to the safety of pavilion rather than facing the hostile express deliveries of Powell, Collymore and even medium pace of Dwayne Bravo.

Mushfiqur Rahim (38 not out) and Mashrafe Mortaza (37) added 58 runs for seventh wicket to take their team beyond three-figure mark after Bangladesh were reeling at six for 52. Howver, Bravo broke the partnership by removing Mortaza and then with Gayle wiped out the tail to script the hosts' win.

Powel scalped three for 38 while Colleymore, Bravo and Gayle took two wickets apiece.

Earlier, Sarwan led West Indies' recovery from the loss of two early wickets to help post the hosts 230 for five.

Openers Devon Smith and Chris Gayle departed early but a cautious partnership between Marlon Samuels (31) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (50), and then late flurry by Sarwan and Lara (33) helped the team put up a challenging score.

The loss means Bangladesh finish at the bottom of the basket in Super Eights table despite shocking South Africa in their Cup campaign.

UNI