Bangladesh slip by Windies

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC)

West Indies handed Bang-ladesh their first Test win overseas and only their second overall, when they crumbled to a 95-run defeat in the opening game of the series at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex yesterday.

Chasing 277 for victory, West Indies were dismissed for 181 with 9.5 overs remaining on the final day of the encounter shrouded in controversy because of the strike by the Windies first-choice players.

Only all-rounder Dave Bernard with an unbeaten 52, his second half-century of the match, showed any resistance as no other batsman scored over 20 in the innings.

Off-spinner Mahmudullah was the architect of Bangladesh's win, snaring five for 51 to expose the regional side's weakness against spin bowling.

He was supported by left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan who grabbed three for 39, including the last wicket of Tino Best for nine.

It was Bangladesh's second win in Tests following their 226-run victory over a similarly depleted Zimbabwe side in Chittagong four years ago.

All-rounder Darren Sammy's five-wicket haul had given West Indies a chance at victory early in the day when he grabbed three of the five wickets to fall, as Bangladesh were dismissed for 345 after resuming the day at 321 for five.

The right-arm medium pacer finished with five for 70 and fast bowler Kemar Roach claimed three for 67, to remove the last five Bangladeshi batsmen for the addition of only 24 runs.

But Bangladesh hit back to claim both Windies openers cheaply and reduce the home side to 62 for two at lunch.

Wickets tumbled steadily thereafter and only Bernard, who stroked five fours off 134 balls, held firm against the Bangladesh attack.

His stand of 37 for the sixth wicket with Sammy was the most productive of the innings, but it was ended when Sammy gifted his wicket by carving Shakib Al Hasan to point for Shahadat Hossain to complete an easy catch. West Indies face Bangladesh in the second and final Test of the series starting Friday at the National Stadium in Grenada.

West Indies fielder Kemar Roach is unable to stop a shot from Bangladesh's batsman Junaid Siddique (centre) who runs between the wickets with partner Tamim Iqbal during the fourth day of the first Test match at Arnos Vale cricket ground in Kingstown, St Vincent, yesterday.