West Indies Legends

Chasing a competitive score of 169 for 7 from Bangladesh, the West Indies got off to a flyer with William Perkins and Ridley Jacobs racing to 29 in 16 balls when Perkins was dismissed for 22 having faced 14 balls.

His dismissal brought Dwayne Smith to the crease but after looking threatening hitting two fours in the first four balls he faced, was bowled by Abdur Razzak for 10 with the score on 41.

He was replaced by Edwards, who together with Ridley Jacobs, mounted a 72-run third-wicket partnership in just 43 balls. Edwards was particularly savage on the Bangladesh bowlers smashing six fours and two sixes in his 28-ball stay at the crease before he, too, was bowled by Razzak.

Twelve runs later, Jacobs was run out for 34 on the last ball of the 14^th over with the West Indies still needing 45 runs from 36 balls.

Tino Best came and went, bowled for five by Mohammad Rafique. Meanwhile, Brian Lara, who took some time to get going, hit three fours in his unbeaten 31. He and Mahendra Nagamootoo, who hit two fours in his 16 not out from 10 balls, got the West Indies across the line at 173 for 5 with seven balls to spare.

Razzak took 2-34.

After being sent to bat by the West Indies, Nazimuddin and Mehrab Hossain took full advantage smashing the West Indies bowling to all parts, scoring 64 at better than eight runs an over. It took a run out from the last ball of the eighth over to end the partnership, Nazimuddin coming up short of the crease after smashing three fours and two sixes in his 24-ball 33.

Hossain and Aftab Ahmed added 27 for the second wicket when Tino Best had the latter caught behind for 31 mid-way the 15^th over. He hit four fours and a six in his 21-ball stay. Four balls later, Ryan Austin bowled Hossain for 44 and then trapped Razzak lbw for a duck.

Bangladesh kept the scoring rate up thanks to Mohammed Sharif, who hit three sixes on his way to 26 from just 13 balls. He was eventually dismissed by Suilemann Benn, who also removed Khaled Mashud and Mohammad Rafique to finish with 3-17. Austin paid a high price for his two wickets, conceding 42 runs from his four overs.

Best had figures of 1-33.

Brian Lara scored a relatively patient 53 and Dwayne Smith, a quick-fire 47 as the West Indies posted 157 for 4 from their 20 overs. The pair put on a 66-run third-wicket stand after William Perkins (19) and Narsingh Deonarine (2) were both run out within the first six overs to leave the West Indies on 38 for 2.

Lara’s half-century came off 49 balls and included eight fours but it was Smith who dominated the partnership scoring his 47 runs from just 27 balls from which he smashed four fours and three sixes before departing with the West Indies 104 for 3 in the 14^th over.

Lara remained unbeaten at the end but with the help of Mahendra Nagamootoo (9) and Tino Best, who was unbeaten on 18, took the score to 157.

Chinthanka Jayasinghe, who got Smith’s wicket returned figures of 1-8 from his only over while Tillakaratne Dilshan had figures of 1-28 from his four.

Needing 158 for victory, Sri Lanka benefitted from an opening stand of 45 between Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya when the latter when trapped lbw by Suilemann Benn for 12 in the six over. Benn would get his second wicket in the 12^th over when he had Dilshan caught behind for 47 with the score on 92.

His knock came off 37 balls and included eight fours.

Upul Tharanga, who had put together the 47-run stand with Dilshan featured in a 36-run stand with Chamara Silva who made 22 and then 15 with Jayasinghe. He would remain unbeaten on 53 at the end, scoring his runs from just 37 balls and included eight fours as Sri Lanka achieved their target, scoring 160 for 5 from 19 overs.

Tino Best got the wickets of Jayasinghe for seven and Ajantha Mendis for a duck to finish with 2-22 from three overs. Benn had 2-19 from four.