West Indies complete Bangladesh rout in test series

The West Indies engineered a 2-0 series beating on Bangladesh in the second and final test by 296 runs, with a day to spare, last Tuesday at the Beausejour Cricket Ground in St Lucia.{{more}}

And, the win was fitting, as the West Indies was engaged in its 500th test, with the journey dating back to 1928.

Bangladesh, set an improbable 488 to win, were routed by the West Indies bowlers, led by left arm spinner Sulieman Benn with 5 for 72 and right arm fast bowler Jerome Taylor with 2 for 35, and crashed to 192 all out.

The West Indies had earlier on Tuesday declared their second innings on 269 for 4; Shivnarine Chanderpaul was 101 not out and Jermaine Blackwood – 66 not out.

In the process, Chanderpaul notched up his 30th test century, and his 49th innings in which he was not dismissed.

Both he and Blackwood shared in an unbroken stand for the fifth wicket, which produced 166 runs.

At the top of the order, Kraigg Braithwaite hit 44 and Leon Johnson – 41, as the West Indies went in search of quick runs.

At the declaration, Mahmudullah had taken 2 for 64, bowling for Bangladesh.

When the match got going on Saturday, the West Indies had posted 380, with Chanderpaul 84 not out; Johnson on debut struck 66, Brathwaite – 63, Darren Bravo – 46 and Taylor – 40.

For Bangladesh, Al-Amin Hossain took 3/80, Robiul Islam – 2/63; Shafiul Islam – 2/80 and Taijul Islam – 2/89.

In response, Bangladesh’s innings ended at 161; Mahmudullah made 53 and Tamim Iqbal – 48.

Bowling for the West Indies, Kemar Roach bagged 5 for 42, and there were two wickets apiece for Benn and Taylor at the cost of 19 and 41 runs, respectively.

Chanderpaul was named Player of the Match and Brathwaite – Player of the Series.

West Indies had won the first test by 10 wickets.

The series win was the first for captain Denesh Ramdin, who took up the post earlier this year, but saw his side beaten 2-1, by New Zealand.

The 2-nil also win meant that the regional team would have done what it needed to gain the single rating point on the ICC rankings, maintaining its eighth place among the10 test playing nations.

For the visitors, it was a loss of two rating points.

The West Indies head to India next month for five ODI’s, three tests and a solitary T20 international.(RT)