Windies make light work of Tigers

Cricket365
October 16, 2011

Bangladesh once again proved to be no match for the West Indies as the visitors won the second ODI by eight wickets to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

The Windies, who won the opening game in Dhaka by 40 runs, dismissed their hosts for a mere 220 in 48.5 overs and then opener Lendl Simmons and Marlon Samuels struck half-centuries to ease their side to 221 for two in just 42.4 overs.

Simmons, whose maiden century set up the Windies' win in the opening ODI, and Danza Hyatt set the Caribbean outfit on the way with a 71-run opening stand before Shakib Al Hasan finally got a breakthrough. Hyatt (39) looked to clear the long-off boundary, but Rubel Hossain took a good catch just a few inches off the ground after diving forward.

Bangladesh's bowlers though failed to keep the pressure on and before they knew it Simmons and Samuels had helped themselves to half-centuries and eased the Windies past the 150-run mark.

Simmons decided to put his foot on the accelerator after reaching his half-ton, but he got his sweep off Shakib wrong. The opener departed for a well struck 80 from 125 balls.

It was all over bar the shouting by then as Samuels raced to an unbeaten 88 from 74 balls to ease the Windies over the finish line.

Although Simmons and Samuels deserve a lot of praise, the victory was set up by the fast bowlers earlier in the day.

The Tigers, who won the toss and elected to bat first at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, made a disastrous start as they slumped to 18 for four inside the first five overs with Ravi Rampaul (two for 27) and Kemar Roach (three for 49) causing havoc.

Imrul Kayes departed four balls into the game as he edged Rampaul to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin. Tamim Iqbal and Mohammad Ashraful were out in the space of four balls in Roach's first over of the day, Tamim chased a wide one and skied it to third man while Ashraful was caught at second slip. Former captain Shakib hit three fours before he also gave Ramdin a straightforward catch.

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, who pushed himself up to No 4 in the batting line-up, steadied the ship with Alok Kapali (20) and Naeem Islam (30). Rahim's vigil finally came to an end when he was on 69 after he pulled Andre Russel to deep backward square leg.

Nasir Hossain made sure the hosts got past 200 with 50 from 54 balls while Abdur Razzak hammered 25 from 19 balls.

The target was never going to be enough and it will be back to the drawing board for the Bangladesh batsmen and bowlers ahead of the third and final ODI in Chittagong on Tuesday.