West Indies opening batsman Leroy Lugg’s marauding half-century yesterday led his team to a six-wicket trouncing of Bangladesh in the opening game of seven match One Day International series at the Providence national Stadium.
Man-of-the-match Lugg carved an aggressive 69 with eight fours and a six. He was involved in a vital second-wicket 80-run partnership with Jeremy Solozano who made 27.
West Indies won the toss and gave the tourists the opportunity to have a crack, a move which paid off for the Caribbean team,
who strangled the opposition dismissing them for 135 in 46 overs. Raw pace was the Achilles heel of the Bangladesh batsmen as fast bowler Alzarri Joseph destroyed the innings picking up 3 for 30 from nine overs.
The tourists lost two quick wickets for under 10 runs in the first five overs with Joyraj Emon trapped lbw by Ray Jordan for 3. Another leg before decision then sent Nazmul Hassan Shanto packing for a duck. Marquino Mindley, who earlier removed Shanto, repeated his action and picked up his second wicket by trapping Sadman Anik lbw for 14.
The tourists brought up their half-century after their nightmare start but West Indies skipper Ramaal Lewis then removed the dangerous Mossadek Hossain Saikat for 14, after he edged a delivery to Fabian Allen in first slip, who took a screamer.
Over number 28 saw the dismissal of the in-form wicket-keeper Jashim Uddin for 28 as he attempted to heave a delivery from left-arm spinner Gudakesh Moti-Kanhai but instead hit it down the throat of Lugg. The skipper Mehedi Hasan Miraj (29) and Sarker Saeed Abu steadied the innings with a 24-run partnership before the Miraj was cleaned bowled by Joseph.
Saeed (13) was also caught by Lugg as Joseph claimed his second wicket, leaving the score 110 for 7. Abu Haider Rony (0) was bowled by a fuller delivery from Joseph, who created all sorts of problems for the tourists.
Things got even worse when Javed Ferdous Rahut (8) was cleaned bowled by Tarrick Gabriel in the 43rd over, followed by the final wicket of UzZman Nehad who was run out by Moti for 7as the Asian team was skittled out minutes before lunch.
The West Indies bowlers were destrutive and deadly. Mindley grabbed 2 for 15, Moti-Kanhai 1 for 15, Jospeh 3 for 30, Lewis 1 for 24, Gabriel 1 for 11 and Jordan 1 for 32. Chasing the paltry total, the Caribbean boys briskly cruised to 138 for 3. Openers Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Lugg, took the team to 18 at the lunch period.
Upon the resumption of lunch, West Indies lost Chanderpaul for 10 after he was given out lbw off the bowling of opposition skipper Miraj. The West Indians cruised to their half-century mark in the 15th over, as Lugg and Jeremy Solozano sought to knuckle down.
Lugg duly brought up his half-century with a huge six over mid-on in the 24th over as the Windies crept closer to a commanding victory. Solozano then drove Zubair Likhon straight down the carpet to bring up the team’s hundred in the 26th over.
He was however stumped off the bowling of the Bangladesh skipper by wicket-keeper Uddin. Requiring just six runs Lugg tried to finish the game in style and was caught after trying to go for a big one.
Gabriel (2) was caught off the bowling of Annik trying to finish in a flurry, but Fabian Allen (2) not out and wicket-keeper Tristan Coleman’s 20 not out, helped wrap up the game with roughly 15 overs to spare.
Miraj grabbws 2 for 16, Shanto 1 for 1 and Anik 1 for 6.
With a comprehensive victory in their first match and heaps of confidence heading into match number two, the Caribbean team will look to go two up when they meet again on tomorrow at the prestigious Bourda Cricket ground.
