Bangladesh v West Indies at Benoni, 18 Feb 2003 CricInfo Live Report

Bangladesh v West Indies at Benoni, 18 Feb 2003
Keith Lane

West Indies, Pool B innings: 26 Overs, 50 overs,
Pre-game: Toss,
Bangladesh innings: Rain,

RAIN CHASES PLAYERS OFF THE FIELD
With the weather not looking promising, the prospects of another match being decided on the Duckworth Lewis method greeted the Bangladesh batsmen as they started their chase of the 244 set by West Indies.

Ehsanul Haque nearly had the distinction of being dismissed first ball faced in consecutive matches when Chris Gayle dropped him at second slip off Vasbert Drakes first ball of his first over.

Al Sahariar was also lucky to get away with a catch given to Carl Hooper at first slip in the third over off the bowling of Mervyn Dillon. Dillon extracting good bounce and movement off the pitch continued to give Sahariar difficulties.

Making good use of the chance given and getting on to the front foot at every opportunity, Haque threw the bat at anything reachable, crashing two fours, one over covers and edging the other over the slips. A further catch put down at first slip by Hooper off Drakes gave Haque his second live.

Gayle made up for his drop when Drakes had Sahariar pushing forward and edging to second slip for five and Bangladesh 19 for two after six overs.

Dillon then produced one that brought Haque forward cutting back past the edge of the bat and clipping the top of the stumps to fly way over the keeper. A great ball to leave Bangladesh on 19 for three and Haque out for 12.

In the ninth over the rain started coming down harder and the players left the field with Bangladesh 32 for two.

RICARDO POWELL GETS WEST INDIES TO 244/9
Bangladesh by continuing to restrict West Indies to four runs an over, eventually caused the downfall of Brian Lara when he forced a drive off Ehsanul Haque into the covers that was brilliantly caught by Al Sahariar getting two hands to the ball that was always going away from him. Lara had played a subdued innings of 46 runs coming off 76 balls and included five boundaries. West Indies was now 130 for four in the 32nd over.

Ramnaresh Sarwan had joined Hooper at the crease and after scoring 13 gave a return catch to Khaled Mahmud to leave West Indies on 158 for five in the 40th over with the run rate now dipping under four runs to the over.

Ricardo Powell kept himself under control until the 44th over when he launched Mahmud over mid wicket for a huge six that cleared the grass embankments with some to spare. He repeated it the next over sending Talha Jubair over the ropes for maximum. He brought the 200 up in the same over slapping the boundary past point. The 200 came off 284 balls and included 13 fours and three sixes.

Alok Kapali took his first wicket with a beauty that drifted and spun back at Hooper, popping the catch back at the bowler for 45 off 58 and included a single six with the total on 217 for six in the 47th over.

Powell had just gone to his 50, off 30 balls, with his fourth six flying over covers, when he tried to pull another big hit over square leg, only to top edge high to the man on the boundary. He had smashed three fours and four big sixes during his 33-minute stay and had taken West Indies to 231 for seven.

Vasbert Drakes stayed three balls when after a fumble by Rafique in the covers he attempted a run, only to be sent back by Ridley Jacobs to be easily run out on the same score.

Mervyn Dillon then got into the act hitting a six and a four before holding out at long on off the bowling of Islam for 10 for West Indies to finish on 244 for nine at the end of the 50 overs.

DISCIPLINED BANGLADESH RESTRICT WEST INDIES
Under the heavy overcast conditions Bangladesh made a good start removing Wavell Hinds for 18, caught in the covers, off Khaled Mahmud with West Indies on 19 and then Chris Gayle caught in the slips off Monjural Islam without scoring, leaving West Indies 40 for two after 9.3 overs.

Brian Lara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul moved the West Indies past the 50 in the 13th over (88 balls) which included 6 boundaries in 56 minutes.

Taking the score to 108, a partnership of 68-runs off 101 balls, Chanderpaul was out when trapped leg before by Mohammad Rafique for 29 off 53 balls which included only three boundaries, testament to the disciplined bowling display by the Bangladesh bowlers.

After 26 overs West Indies had progressed to 109 for three, just above four runs to the over, with Lara on 40 and Carl Hooper having just come to the wicket on one.

BANGLADESH WIN THE TOSS AND FIELD
West Indies comes to Willowmoore Park under the threat of bad weather putting a damper on the clash with Bangladesh. Heavy overnight rain in Benoni and a steady downpour this morning could have a major influence on the outcome of a very thight group.

The outfield and the pitch is in excellent condition with the game expected to start on time after Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field first.

It is still very overcast and humid with the match starting under lights.

Bangladesh team: Al Sahariar, Mohammad Ashraful, Ehsanul Haque, Sanwar Hossain, Alok Kapali, *+Khaled Mashud, Mohammad Rafique, Manjural Islam, Khaled Mahmud, Talha Jubair, Tushar Imran.

West Indies team: CH Gayle, WW Hinds, BC Lara, S Chanderpaul, *CL Hooper, RR Sarwan, RL Powell, +RD Jacobs, VC Drakes, M Dillon, CD Collymore.