Tigers warm up well

Bangladeshi batsmen at last shrugged off the lean patch to get back in form and had some useful batting practice ahead of the first Test as the three-dayer warm up game against West Indies A destined to a predictable draw at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown on Sunday.
Opener Tamim Iqbal starred in the drawn match with a fluent 72-run knock as Bangladesh closed on 233 for five off 81 overs in their second innings. In fact, it was a satisfactory day for the tourists after they were dismissed for 195 in their first innings on day one, with most of their remaining recognised batsmen spending time at the crease.
The highlight of Bangladesh’s innings was their patience, which lacked in the longer version cricket and more importantly they negotiated the shot pitched deliveries with utmost confidence. In contrast they could not improvise them against the spinner, as they were simply lackluster against off-spinner Ryan Austin who completed a nine-wicket match haul. 
Austin, a tall, 27-year-old, who was the top wicket-taker with 60 scalps for Combined Campuses & Colleges in the 2009 regional first-class championship, picked up four for 65 off 27 overs for a match analysis of nine for 136 off 49.5 overs.
Skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortoza, leading the side as a regular captain for the first time,  had the every reason to be happy further when he got his inconsistent top order to pave the way for the middle order. This time Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes opening pair got a confidence building 123-run partnership.
The middle order afterwards responded well to make the scoreboard keep rolling. After the hundred run partnership between Tamim and Imrul, Shakib Al Hasan and Roqibul Hasan made another significant 61 runs partnership for the fifth wicket stand.
Tamim hit nine fours in scoring 72 from 153 balls in little over three hours. Roqibul Hassan contributed 49 and Shakin Al Hasan 33, but there were single-digit failures for Mohammad Ashraful and Zunaed Siddique.
Earlier, West Indies ‘A’, resuming on 247 for eight, were bowled out for 248 in 82.5 overs, replying to the Bangladesh first innings total of 195 all out from 63.5 overs.
The batsmen dismissed on Sunday morning were the overnight pair of wicket-keeper cum batsman Devon Thomas and fast bowler Kevin McClean.
McClean, who bats left-handed and bowls right-arm, was first out, bowled by pacer Shahadat Hossain Rajib without adding to his overnight score of 21 in the day’s second ball.
Three balls later topscorer of the side Thomas was caught by wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim off the same bowler for 105, which was also his overnight score and maiden first-class century.
Shahadat Hossain Rajib and Shakib Al Hasan snapped up three for 54 and 72 runs respectively while Mashrafe and Mahmudullah Ryad picked up two wickets each.
Bangladesh and West Indies will meet in the Digicel first Test in St. Vincent, starting Thursday on July 9.
SCOREBOARD
Bangladeshis 1st innings: 195
West Indies A 1st innings: 148
Bangladeshis 2nd innings:
Tamim c Thomas b Austin  72
I Kayes c Powell b Austin  44
Zunaed c Wallace b Austin  2
Roqibul Hasan not out  49
M Ashraful c Creary b McClean 8
Shakib c Creary b Austin  33
Mushfiqur not out  3
Extras (b 5, lb 5, nb 12)  22
Total (5 wickets; 81 overs) 233
Fall of wickets: 1-123, 2-132, 3-144, 4-166, 5-227.
BOWLING O M R W
N Pascal 11 3 38 0
K McClean 10 2 30 1
K Roach 13 7 22 0
R Austin 27 3 65 4
G Wallace 20 1 68 0
 
Courtesy of The Independent