Thu, 13 Oct 2011 - Bangladesh vs West Indies, West Indies Tour of Bangladesh 2011-12, 1st ODI -Bulle

Simmons, Samuels script easy win

West Indies have bounced back strongly from a loss in solitary twenty-20 game winning the first ODI by a comfortable margin of 40 runs. A rather easy victory was architected by opening batsman Lendl Simmons, all-rounder Marlon Samuels and decent bowling show from the touring side as Bangladesh failed to repeat Tuesday’s show performance.

The hosts could manage only 258/8 in allotted fifty overs chasing a victory target of 299 with most of their batsmen failing to put up substantial scores. Without their regular skipper Darren Sammy who was ruled out due to illness, West Indies posted 298 that was made possible thanks to a magnificent 124-ball 122 from opening batsman Simmons, stroke-filled 71 off 78 balls by Samuels and 25-ball 41 from Kieran Pollard that give the innings late push. Samuels then returned to puncture Bangladesh’s chase in the middle overs claiming a brace of wickets and going for only 42 runs in his allotted quota of overs.

Sammy’s replacement wicketkeeper Dinesh Ramdin looked active as a skipper making scoring difficult for Bangladesh batsmen. Bangladesh’s chances of reaching the target were put off by very slow batting in first 20 overs that made asking rate to go up considerably. The chase was off to a slow but steady start with Tamim Iqbal and Naeem Islam putting 44 in 12 overs before latter was caught behind of Devendra Bishoo’s first ball. Naeem and Imrul Kayes batted slowly for 78 they put on for the second wicket to put themselves in the pressure.

Naeem though did hit some lusty hits but was dismissed to a terrific catch from Danza Hyatt off Andre Rustle soon after reaching his fifty for 52 off 82 balls. Mohammad Ashraful continued to have poor run with the bat gloving a well directed short delivery from Ravi Rampaul for 2.

Samuels added to Bangladesh’s woes getting Kayes stumped for 42 off 52 balls and followed it with a last match’s hero and skipper Mushfiqur Rahim for 20 to take stuffing out of the chase. Former skipper Shaqibul Hassan did put up a fightback with an unbeaten 67 off 58 but was left to do much. His knock went in vain as his side ended 40 short of West Indies’ total.

West Indies’ bowling was very disciplined with Samuels, Russell and Rampaul taking two wickets each. To their credit, the visitors were brilliant in the field with Hyatt’s catch turning out to be highlight.

The tourists put up a terrific batting show to get close to 300-mark on a slow Mirpur track after put into by Bangladesh. The highlight of the innings was a superb century from Simmons, first of his ODI career and solid support acts from Samuels and Pollard. Simmons’ marathon stand with Samuels did the bulk of the scoring before Pollard provided the innings late charge boosting his side to a huge total.

West Indies had a steady start to their innings with Simmons’ taking the aggressor’s role. The opening pair took the score to 67 in fifteen overs before Adrian Barath became first casualty of new ODI rules. Barath suffered with the cramps and was forced to leave the field retired hurt for a 47-ball 21 paving way for Samuels. Simmons and Samuels were all at ease against potential threat-Bangladesh spinners-finding the gaps ever so easily. Their running between the wickets also impressed one and all with both of them rotating the strike effectively.

Simmons didn’t hit many boundaries early but never got bogged down. The opener never let spinners settle once he crossed 80’s. He was composed approaching his maiden century and slammed two sixes to jump into 90’s. Once he crossed the milestone, boundaries were the only thing in his mind. He hit four boundaries in one Shafiul Islam over before holed out in the deep. His 124-ball stay at the crease included eight fours and two maximums, and, more importantly boosted his side to a big score

His partner Samuels was at his striking best. The right hander’s off-side play was from a top-drawer of batting. Samuels cover-drove stylishly and cut sumptuously against spinners as runs came easily in the middle overs. He hit half a dozen fours and two sixes in his knock before Pollard got into some serious hitting.

After Simmons and Samuels departed in a quick succession, Pollard and Darren Bravo piled on the agony adding quick 59 runs. Pollard scored most of them muscling three sixes and two fours and Bravo’s 20 came at a more than run a ball rate. Danza Hyatt and Andre Russell hit a boundary each to take score past 295.

None of the Bangladesh bowlers could impress bowling too short and wide making life easy for West Indian bowlers.