Bangladesh seek icing on the cake

West Indies v Bangladesh, Only Twenty20, St Kitts

Bangladesh seek icing on the cake

August 2, 2009

Match facts

Sunday August 2, 2009
Start time 14.00 (18.00 GMT)

West Indies need Andre Fletcher to fire at the top of the order

It has been a triumphant tour for Bangladesh so far, and they will be aiming to round it off with another victory in the Twenty20 on Sunday. It was the only format in which they had trumped West Indies before setting off for the Caribbean last month, but that famous win in the 2007 World Twenty20 remains their only success against a Test-playing nation in Twenty20s.

In the absence of West Indies' leading players, Bangladesh have had the rare advantage of the being the more experienced side in the contest, and they have made that count in both the Tests and ODIs, holding their nerve at the key moments. Though they have no domestic Twenty20 tournament, Bangladesh's players are still more acquainted with the format than the home side, with several of them having played two World Twenty20s.

West Indies' two major problems have been the inconsistency of the top order, and their discomfort against spin. Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan capitalised on that, picking four slow bowlers for the one-dayers, and having a pair of them operating in tandem as early as the ninth over.

The inclusion of Andre Fletcher has added some dynamism to the top order, and he showed his ability while carting three sixes on his way to a 52-ball 62 in the third ODI. How he and Travis Dowlin, one of the more impressive batsmen for West Indies this series, combat the Bangladesh spinners will play a large part in determining whether the home side can salvage at least one win in the series.

Form guide

(last five matches, most recent first)

Bangladesh - LLLLL
West Indies - LWLWL

Watch out for …

Kemar Roach first came into the spotlight when he was picked by West Indies for a Twenty20 against Australia in 2008 barely five months after making his first-class debut. He has troubled Bangladesh batsmen with his pace all through the series, and though he was expensive in the one-dayers he was the leading wicket-taker, finishing with 10 at 16.20.

The allrounder Mahmudullah is coming off the best month of his career, spinning Bangladesh to victory with eight wickets in the first Test, before shepherding them with a mature, unbeaten half-century in the third ODI to keep their spotless record on tour in tact. He is yet to make an impact in Twenty20s at the international level, and Sunday's game provides him the ideal opportunity.

Team news

There aren't likely to be too many changes to the winning Bangladesh combination. One person who place could be under the scanner is Raqibul Hasan, who is not renowned as a big hitter and had a poor run in the ODIs.

Bangladesh: (likely) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Junaid Siddique, 3 Mohammad Ashraful, 4 Raqibul Hasan, 5 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 6 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Naeem Islam, 9 Abdur Razzak, 10 Syed Rasel, 11 Rubel Hossain.

One of the worries for West Indies is the thigh injury to vice-captain Darren Sammy, who has been one of their key players in both the Tests and one-dayers. But coach John Dyson remains confident Sammy will be fit for Sunday's game after watching him practice at the nets.

West Indies: (likely) 1 Kieron Powell , 2 Andre Fletcher, 3 Devon Smith, 4 Travis Dowlin, 5 David Bernard, 6 Floyd Reifer (capt), 7 Devon Thomas (wk), 8 Darren Sammy, 9 Nikita Miller, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Gavin Tonge.

Stats and trivia

• Fletcher and Sammy are the only West Indies players who have played 10 or more Twenty20, while Bangladesh have five players with that much experience
• Bangladesh have lost their previous eight Twenty20 games; their last win was nearly two years ago
• The only Twenty20 match that Kemar Roach has played at the senior level is when he made was picked against Australia in 2008

Quotes

"It is a young team. They have got to continue to play, and play hard. We have got to continue talking to each other." West Indies captain Floyd Reifer tries to keep his inexperienced side motivated

Watch West Indies v Bangladesh, 3rd ODI Live Streaming

West Indies v Bangladesh, 3rd ODI, St Kitts

Bangladesh look for whitewash

Match facts

Friday, 31 Jul 2009

			West Indies Vs Bangladesh
Venue :3rd One Day International, Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts Live action starts from: 13:30 GMT (19:00 IST) ODI Bangladesh Tour of West Indies 2009 One Day International Match

Start time 9.30 (13.30 GMT)

Big Picture

Can Travis Dowlin help prevent a clean sweep?

Bangladesh have wrapped up the three-match series by winning the first two matches and have a chance to complete a rare whitewash. West Indies will be kicking themselves for giving up the second ODI having had a good total to defend only to allow Bangladesh three crucial overs in their chase to seize the momentum. The home side should be ready to prove a point to their critics but Bangladesh's form and energy leaves them as clear favourites, and a cursory glance at the form of the two rival captains sums up the state of the two sides.

Shakib Al Hasan has led from the front in both the first two games, contributing runs with the bat - he is just behind Mohammad Ashraful in the run tally - picking wickets and inspiring in the field. Shakib's captaincy has been exciting and that has apparently rubbed off onto his batting. His decision to open the attack in the last game with the recalled Abdur Razzak's spin paid rich dividends.

West Indies will be aiming for a competitive effort to finish the series after they showed a marked improvement from the first ODI, but it's hard to see how Floyd Reifer can inspire. His batting hasn't clicked all series, two Tests included, and he has looked all at sea against spin, spooning catches to a packed off-side field in both ODIs. For Reifer, the goals are not only to win but also to give some of West Indies' lesser-known players a chance to shine. He will need to set the example and hope the rest follow.

Form guide

(last five matches, most recent first)

Bangladesh - WWWWL
West Indies - LLNLW

Watch out for …

Tamim Iqbal: A powerful striker of the ball, Tamim will look to make a mark in the series against this West Indies attack. Tamim got a first-baller in game one, chasing a full-pitched delivery, and in the second his nervy innings of 29 was cut off by an enthusiastic fielder. Tamim is yet to impress in the series but a big one could just be around the corner. If Tamim can help set up a hefty total, it could give Bangladesh their best chance of a clean sweep.

Travis Dowlin: He missed a Test century by a whisker and his maiden ODI century proved in vain as Bangladesh won by three wickets to clinch the series. With the impending return of the leading players, Dowlin's opportunities at this level could be limited. He's in form and has shown his capabilities against this attack.

Team news

Bangladesh's desire to make absolutely certain of a 3-0 result means they are unlikely to tinker with their best XI.

Bangladesh: (likely) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Junaid Siddique, 3 Mohammad Ashraful, 4 Raqibul Hasan, 5 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 6 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Naeem Islam, 9 Abdur Razzak, 10 Syed Rasel, 11 Rubel Hossain.

Chris Gayle and other top players still find no place and the only change was the exclusion of fast bowler Nelon Pascal, who sustained a finger injury in the first ODI last Sunday. The wicketkeeper Devon Thomas didn't get a chance to bat in the second ODI but did grab two surpising wickets and should keep his place, but the pressure will be on Andre Fletcher who has yet to impress in the series. His place at the top could go to Kieran Powell, the left-handed batsman.

West Indies: (likely) 1 Devon Smith, 2 Andre Fletcher/Kieran Powell, 3 Travis Dowlin, 4 David Bernard, 5 Floyd Reifer (capt), 6 Devon Thomas (wk), 7 Darren Sammy, 8 Rawl Lewis, 9 Nikita Miller, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Gavin Tonge.

Weather

It's forecast to be windy with scattered showers in the afternoon in Basseterre on Friday.

Watch West Indies v Bangladesh, 2nd ODI Live streaming

West Indies v Bangladesh, 2nd ODI, Dominica

Reifer concerned by top-order batting

Match Facts

Tuesday, 28 Jul 2009

			West Indies Vs Bangladesh
Venue :2nd One Day International, Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica Live action starts from: 13:30 GMT (19:00 IST) ODI Bangladesh Tour of West Indies 2009 One Day International Match

	Abdur Razzak: "I was out of the team for eight months, and now I am back in the side, I am looking to do well"

Floyd Reifer, the West Indies captain, has said while he is happy with the balance of the team, the top-order batting remains a concern following a 52-run defeat to Bangladesh in the first ODI in Dominica.

West Indies, who lost the Test series 2-0, were chasing 247 and lost their first four wickets for 42 runs in 12 overs before Devon Smith's 65 took them past 100. "We didn't get the start we wanted from the top, and this is something that is worrying us at the moment," Reifer said. "We are not getting enough partnerships at the top of the innings."

After the spinners had been successful in the Test series, it was expected the pitches for the ODIs would favour bounce and pace. The Windsor Park curator had said he would comply with West Indies coach John Dyson's request for faster tracks. However Bangladesh opened with left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak, who took 4 for 39 - including two of the first four wickets.

Razzak, who was suspended by the ICC for a suspect bowling action in November and cleared four months ago, said the pitches in the Caribbean favoured spin bowling and he was not surprised when his captain handed him the new ball.

"When I played in the Caribbean in the 2007 World Cup, I also used the new ball, so it's normal," Razzak said. "But this was important for me. I was out of the team for eight months, and now I am back in the side, I am looking to do well."

Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan, who scored a half-century, said the team had been confident of the total on the board since the pitch was playing slow and there were four spinners in the XI. "I have been surprised by the nature of the pitches in the Caribbean," Shakib said. "I thought they would have had more bounce and pace. But it suited our spinners, and Razzak came back into the side, bowled well, and did a good job for us."

Watch West Indies Vs Bangladesh 1st ODI Live Streaming

Bangladesh in West Indies 2009

Devon Smith and Fletcher in ODI squad

Match Facts

Sunday, 26 Jul 2009

			West Indies Vs Bangladesh
Venue :1st One Day International, Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica Live action starts from: 13:30 GMT (19:00 IST) ODI Bangladesh Tour of West Indies 2009 One Day International Match

Adrian Fletcher replaces Chadwick Walton as wicketkeeper from the Test squad

West Indies have added a couple of new faces to their 14-member squad for the first two ODIs at home against Bangladesh following the 2-0 defeat in the Test series.

While the batting line-up will be boosted by the inclusion of left-hander Devon Smith, Andre Fletcher and the uncapped Kieran Powell, the bowling has been fortified with the selection of legspinner Rawl Lewis and the rookie fast bowler Gavin Tonge.

Smith, who last featured in an ODI back in April 2008, against Sri Lanka at home, was picked for the tour of England in April-May this year. Fletcher, who replaces Chadwick Walton as wicketkeeper from the Test squad, was dropped after disappointing performances in the World Twenty20. His 53 in the opening match against Australia was followed by 13 and three straight ducks.

Powell, 19, who hails from the tiny island of Nevis, has been rewarded for the promise he has shown in domestic competitions. He has the reputation of being a clean striker of the ball and was part of the West Indies squad for the 2008 Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia. He scored 253 runs at 42.16, with a strike rate of 124, which made him the second-highest scorer in the tournament.

Another consistent performer on the domestic circuit has been the 26-year-old Tonge. He has performed well with the ball for Leeward Islands, and is also a handy lower-order batsman.

Ryan Austin, Tino Best, Ryan Hinds, Kevin McClean, and Omar Phillips were among the other players who missed out from the Test squad.

The first two ODIs will be staged at Windsor Park in Dominica on July 26 and 28. St Kitts will host the third and final match on July 31, as well as the only Twenty20 international two days later.

Squad: Floyd Reifer (capt), Darren Sammy, David Bernard, Travis Dowlin, Andre Fletcher (wk), Rawl Lewis, Nikita Miller, Nelon Pascal, Kieran Powell, Dale Richards, Kemar Roach, Devon Smith, Devon Thomas, Gavin Tonge.

Raqibul and Shakib Inspire First Overseas Series Win By White Washing West Indies

Raqibul and Shakib inspire first overseas series win

July 20, 2009

Bangladesh 232 (Rahim 48, Raqibul 44, Roach 6-48) and 217 for 6 (Shakib 96, Raqibul 65, Sammy 5-55) beat West Indies 237 and 209 (Bernard 69, Shakib 5-70) by four wickets

	Darren Sammy threatened to run through the Bangladesh line-up, picking up three wickets and taking a splendid catch

History was calling and Bangladesh showed they were all ears in Grenada. Raqibul Hasan and Shakib Al Hasan shared a thrilling 106-run partnership to charge Bangladesh to their first overseas series win. On an enthralling afternoon's play, Darren Sammy threatened to do the improbable but Raqibul lifted Bangladesh with a plucky innings before the equally aggressive Shakib joined him to clinch a euphoric win.

Set a target of 215, a counterattacking Raqibul, who had walked in at 29 for 2, was joined by Shakib at 67 for 4 and the pair batted bravely to seize back the initiative. Though Sammy took out Raqibul and Mushfiqur Rahim, 14 runs away from the win, Shakib held his nerve to steer the team home. The winning moment came at 5.38 pm and in some style, with Shakib lifting Kemar Roach over long-on.

Though Raqibul fell 42 runs short of the target, it was he who had set up the win with an inspired performance. He had never hit a Test fifty before and he had struggled in the first Test due to his penchant of playing away from the body. However, he had held his own in the first innings here and added a dash of bravado today to lift Bangladesh from a hole. It was a gem of a cameo under the circumstances. Every time, West Indies picked up a wicket and threatened to charge ahead, Raqibul counterattacked to keep the hosts on their toes. He chose to take the adventurous route and didn't waste a single run-scoring opportunity; in fact he created a few chances of his own.

It was risky at times but someone had to seize the initiative back from West Indies and Raqibul decided to shoulder that burden. Apart from Sammy's superb spell, Raqibul's battle against Kemar Roach was the highlight of the session. Roach v Raqibul was the turning point in the first innings as Roach successfully probed a weakness in Raqibul against the bouncers before proceeding to scythe through the rest of the line-up. He was in no mood to buckle down today.

He started with a fierce slash over point and remained audacious against anything that was pitched up to him. It was a tantalizing battle as Roach troubled him a bit with short-pitched deliveries and a couple of jaffas that left the bat late but Raqibul released the pressure with a couple of impish square drives. He flicked Sammy and guided him through to third man boundary and thus, preventing West Indies from deploying close-in fielders. And when Ryan Austin, the offspinner, was brought for the over before tea, Raqibul dispatched him over deep midwicket and in the last session, he unfurled a couple of peachy off drives to further calm the dressing-room nerves.

Thankfully, for Bangladesh, Raqibul found a willing partner in his captain Shakib, who too oozed intent through his knock. He started off a touch shakily with a stab past second slip, an airy drive past mid-off, and an edge past gully but soon settled down to blunt the attack. Now and then, he teased the slip cordon with his slashes but just when it appeared he was living on the edge, he would unfurl a meaty off drive, defend solidly or steal a single to frustrate the attack.

Shakib took on the dominating role in the final session, spanking boundaries almost at will, including a hat-trick of fours against Roach. The first one, an extra-cover drive that brought up his fifty, was followed by a crunching cut and a feisty pull as Bangladesh galloped towards victory. If the final session was almost serene, the second was a dramatic and event-filled. The day had started with a two-hour rain delay and Bangladesh took just 4.1 overs to wrap up West Indies for 209; it was the first time Bangladesh had bowled out the opposition for less than 250 in both innings.

Till Raqibul and Shakib took the bowling on, it was Sammy who stole the show. Every one knows that Sammy is not going to blow the opposition away; his is a gentle art. He builds pressure with cluster of seaming deliveries in the corridor outside off and gently nudges the batsmen into making a mistake. Bangladesh initially stumbled into making fatal mistakes under the pressure of the chase and perhaps, under the strain of making history.

Sammy struck in his very first over, inducing Tamim Iqbal into edging a delivery leaving him before turning his attention to Junaid Siddique. After bowling 14 deliveries - most of them in the off-stump channel - for just one run, he got the next one to curve away from the middle and off line and Siddique tried to flick it rather injudiciously across the line but edged it low to first slip where Floyd Reifer took a sharp catch. Sammy then produced a gem to take out Mohammad Ashraful, who has gifted his wicket previously in the series but was unlucky to get a very good delivery that shaped away from him very late.

Sammy was supported well by Roach, who has been the chief tormentor of Bangladesh in the series so far. Roach, who surprisingly didn't take the new ball, was introduced in the second session and immediately looked menacing with his cocktail of bouncers and full deliveries outside off stump. He followed a lifting delivery with the one angling away to coax Imrul Keyes into edging to slip where Sammy took a brilliant catch, leaping at second slip. For a brief while, when Roach and Sammy operated in tandem, the game appeared to be hanging in balance but Shakib and Raqibul ensured their fans won't lose too much hair or nails.

History beckons for Bangladesh

West Indies v Bangladesh, 2nd Test, Grenada

History beckons for Bangladesh

Match facts

Friday, July 17, 2009

			West Indies Vs Bangladesh
Venue :2nd Test Match, National Cricket Stadium, St George"s, Grenada Live action starts from: 14:00 GMT (19:30 IST) Test Bangladesh Tour of West Indies 2009 Test Match Match

Start time 10.00am (14.00 GMT)

The Big Picture

	Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmuddulah dominated the first Test without exactly breaking their backs to do so. Can they help clinch a rare series win?

Now this is a situation Bangladesh aren't accustomed to. Undoubtedly buoyant after beating West Indies in St Vincent, Bangladesh go into the second and final Test as favourites, something they have never been against Test opposition. Forget the ugly spat between the WICB and WIPA, forget that a second-string team was put together at the last minute. The ICC recognises this as a West Indies team and Bangladesh beat them fair and square. Bangladesh need only draw this game for their first series win overseas, and second ever.

They still didn't hit the heights in the first Test but Bangladesh were good enough in the end to seal the win they needed to take a 1-0 series lead. With momentum and the knowledge that conditions in Grenada could be subcontinental, the tourists have to be fancied to wrap up the series by winning the final Test. Shakib Al Hasan, who bowled superbly and captained exceptionally on the fifth day in St Vincent as the hosts threatened to pull off a gritty escape, will lead full-time in Mashrafe Mortaza's absence.

This is a situation West Indies aren't accustomed to either. As the dispute between board and players rumbles on, West Indies will again field a weakened line-up as they seek to drawn level with Bangladesh. The hosts let themselves down in the first innings in St Vincent and will need to bounce back strongly if they are to avoid a series defeat to Bangladesh. If its inspiration they seek, well then they can look at how on the fifth morning they ran through the Bangladesh tail, taking five wickets for 24 to give themselves an outside chance of winning. The rest will have to come from better application with the bat.

This series was never going to be the stuff of headlines, but there remains enough subtext - and plenty at stake - for this Test to be an intriguing battle.

Form guide

(last five matches, most recent first)
West Indies- LLLDD
Bangladesh - WLLLL

Watch out for ...

Mahmudullah Eight wickets on Test debut, a real bonus for Bangladesh. Mahmudullah, earlier considered a limited-overs specialist, stamped himself on proceedings in St Vincent with the ball, picking up five wickets in West Indies' second innings. He was relentless in applying pressure with his offspin and the home side need to watch out against him.

Omar Phillips Another debutant who made an impression in St Vincent. The young opener fell six short of what he described as "one of the easiest hundreds you will ever get at this level". Phillips' innings had laid a strong foundation for a sizable lead before Bangladesh struck back to limit the damage to 69 runs. His departure for 94, when he played a loose shot off Rubel to short cover, Phillips said, was a consequence of a change in tactics after he had reached the 90s. If he gets as far again and doesn't make any changes, watch out Bangladesh.

Team news

Bangladesh have replaced Mortaza with Enamul Haque jr, the slow left-armer who took 6 for 45 to send Bangladesh fans wild with an inaugural Test victory over Zimbabwe in 2005.

Bangladesh: (probable) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Junaid Siddique, 4 Mohammad Ashraful, 5 Raqibul Hasan, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 8 Mahmudullah, 9 Shahadat Hossain, 10 Rubel Hossain, 11 Nazmul Hossain.

The West Indies selectors have retained their new-look squad for the second Test, with batsman Ryan Hinds added to the team. Floyd Reifer, the captain, said after the first match that West Indies might play another batsman. In that case the likely candidate would be Hinds, who last played a Test in March in the home series against England. He will probably replace the offspinner Nikita Miller, who went wicketless. The rest of the bowlers from the first Test should pick themselves. If West Indies retain faith in Miller - who batted stubbornly for 63 minutes and 54 balls in the second innings - and decide not to play an extra batsman Hinds may still get the nod and replace Travis Dowlin who contributed only 22 and 19 in St Vincent.

West Indies: (probable) 1 Omar Phillips, 2 Dale Richards, 3 Floyd Reifer (capt), 4 Travis Dowlin, 5 David Bernand, 6 Ryan Hinds, 7 Chadwick Walton (wk), 8 Darren Sammy, 9 Kemar Roach, 10 Ryan Austin, 11 Tino Best.

Pitch and conditions

Grenada has only hosted one Test, in 2002, and that was a three-innings, high-scoring draw. This is a track known to wear slowly and assist spin as the days go on. Scattered showers are forecast in the afternoon through the five days, however. The teams' training sessions were interrupted by rain.

"It [the pitch] was a touch wet when we saw it on Wednesday. A bit of moisture maybe on top. It will be interesting to see how it eventually looks," said Shakib. "We don't have a problem with the wicket. If it is slow, which I have heard it traditionally is, then that's okay and if it is quicker than Arnos Vale then I believe our bowling, especially spin, will be more effective."

Quotes

"Everybody knows I am not an out-and-out attacking bowler who will fire out batsmen. I like to build pressure and try to get among the wickets."
Darren Sammy calls it as is it.

"The boys are all keyed up. We know that our job is not finished. The best part is that we all know that it is possible."
Shakib Al Hasan knows where the momentum lies.

Spinners seal historic Bangladesh win

West Indies v Bangladesh, 1st Test, Kingstown, 5th day

Spinners seal historic Bangladesh win

July 13, 2009

Bangladesh 238 (Mortaza 39, Roach 3-46) and 345 (Tamim 128, Sammy 5-70) beat West Indies 307 (Phillips 94, Bernard 53, Mahmudullah 3-59) and 181 (Bernard 52, Mahmudullah 5-51, Shakib 3-39) by 95 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Shakib Al Hasan, the stand-in captain, led from the front to hand Bangladesh a historic win

Four years and six months after their solitary Test win, Bangladesh sealed a historic second victory when they beat West Indies by 95 runs in St Vincent. Bangladesh's spin twins Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah weaved a tantalising web to shove West Indies to defeat. Spare a thought, though, for David Bernard who thwarted everything thrown at him for 134 balls to remain unbeaten on a fine 52. The win, as special it was, would come with an asterisk that this was a second-string West Indies team.

The champagne moment arrived at 4.40 pm local time when the stand-in captain Shakib nailed last man Tino Best in front with a dipping full toss with only ten overs left in the day. Best put up his bat as if to suggest he had edged it but the finger was up and the Bangladeshi fielders moved into a huddle of joy. A limping Mashrafe Mortaza hobbled to the middle to join in the celebrations.

It was an enthralling last couple of sessions in the beautiful Kingstown stadium ringed by sea. The cricket in nature was almost sub-continental in its elements. Spinners operated with several close-in men prowling near the batsmen waiting for a mistake, and an over-excited chirpy wicketkeeper, Mushfiqur Rahim, applying immense pressure on the batsmen and the umpires with his appeals and adding drama with his oohs and aahs. And when the seamers came on, it wasn't seam but reverse swing on view with the slinging Rubel Hossain and the grunting Shahadat Hossain trying their best to break through.

And the plot thickened in the last session, as Bernard found a willing partner in Nikita Miller, taking the minds back to Cardiff where England pulled off a great escape yesterday. But Mohammad Ashraful, who failed in both innings with the bat, stamped his presence in the game by removing Miller, who hung on his backfoot to defend stoutly for 54 balls, with one that straightened to get the edge. Mahmudullah returned to trap Ryan Austin and take out Kemar Roach before Shakib sealed the finish.

Until then, Bernard had proved to be a huge headache to the visitors as he stood solidly between them and history. His CV describes him as a stylish batsman but today he added grit to the existing grace. Even under tremendous pressure, he managed to bat almost elegantly, using his wrists skillfully to ride the turn and the bounce on the final-day's wicket. While the rest around him pushed hard at the ball, he played with soft hands and defended confidently. The contest between Shakib and him was high-quality, with the bowler shifting angles and trying everything in his arsenal - the left-arm breaks, the straighter one, the arm-ball, the round-arm delivery, over and round-the-wicket - but he was in a zone of his own. He moved forward or back, as the length demanded of him, using his wrists to drop the ball down short of the fielders. When the spin strangle got tighter, he had the courage to play the pressure-relieving strokes like the lofted drives and the cuts. He survived a close lbw shout in the 44th over against Shakib when a ball straightened to hit the pad in front of the stumps but that blemish apart, he was pretty solid.

However, Shakib and Mahmudullah ensured no other batsmen would deny them a slice of history. Shakib, hailed by the former Australian spinner Kerry O' Keefe as the "best finger spinner in the world", turned in a suffocating spell of left-arm spin to relentlessly force the pressure on West Indies. Shakib was slightly slow through the air in the first innings and couldn't pose too many problems on a slow track. However, today, he ripped it slightly quicker and immediately looked threatening. He varied his pace, even his angle, by lowering the arm on occasions, and, unsurprisingly, was the better of the two spinners, despite finishing with fewer wickets. He occasionally got the ball to straighten and slipped in a few with the arm.

In his first over Shakib harassed Omar Phillips before going past an attempted sweep to trap the batsman. Later, when Darren Sammy and Bernard added 37 in 11.3 overs, he struck, removing Sammy with a little bit of help from the batsman. Suddenly, against the run of play and just before tea, Sammy jumped out and sliced an ambitious square drive straight to point.

Even when he was not taking wickets, Shakib kept the pressure on and by keeping the batsmen on a leash, allowed Mahmudullah the space to wreak some damage. At one point in the chase Rahim shouted out to Mahmudullah: "Just keep hitting the right areas; the pitch would take care of the rest buddy". Mahmudullah did exactly that to pick up three quick wickets after lunch before he returned to take another two in the last session. He tightened the stranglehold by being accurate and making the batsmen play at every ball. It paid off and how.

Floyd Reifer, who was tormented by Shakib, showed himself to be a prime lbw candidate. Time and again, that front leg was pressed dangerously across but he managed to stab and jab his way out against Shakib. But Mahmudullah broke through finally with one that landed and straightened to strike that front leg. His next victim was Travis Dowlin, inducing a nervous prod straight to short-leg. Chadwick Walton walked in and started off with a second-ball six but was done in by one that kept low from Mahmudullah and was struck in front of the leg stump.

The slide had started with a moment of madness from the opener Dale Richards who added 20 runs in two overs before he had a brain freeze. He ambled out of the crease after being hit on the pad by Shahadat Hossain, all the while looking anxiously at the umpire for the verdict on the lbw appeal, which went in his favour, but was run out by a direct hit. That allowed Bangladesh the opening and they stormed through.

When the day started, it looked as if Bangladesh were dawdling with the bat and not showing enough urgency to either go for quick runs or leave many overs as possible to bowl out West Indies. However, Darren Sammy took a five-for to bowl them out and that proved a blessing in hindsight as it allowed their spinners enough time to bowl them to a euphoric triumph.