Bermuda 205-7

Bangladesh 206-2

The gap between ICC Associate and Full Members widened at the famous Antigua Recreation Ground yesterday as Test team Bangladesh crushed underdogs Bermuda by eight wickets under cloudy and breezy conditions.

Bermuda’s bats improved upon last week’s dismal display against a youthful Antigua at the ARG. But their respectable total for the loss of seven wickets in their allotted 50 overs was never going to be enough to trouble an experienced Bangladesh side led by the blistering bat of Shahriar Ahmed who cracked a chanceless unbeaten century.

The final result never looked in doubt as the Asians secured victory at 4.20 p.m. with eight wickets in hand and 75 balls to spare.

Ahmed (104) got Bangladesh back on track after Janeiro Tucker, who left the field after slightly pulling his groin in the tenth over, and fourth-change bowler Kevin Hurdle had struck in the sixth and 15th overs to give Bermuda a glimmer of hope of producing an upset.

Ahmed and all-rounder Shakib Hassan (42) shared in an unbroken 134-run third-wicket partnership in 22.3 overs that carried Bangladesh all the way to victory.

The elegant left handed opening batsman smashed eight fours and two sixes off 112 balls during his 152-minute stay at the crease. He added 58 runs for the second wicket with Aftab Ahmed, who chipped in with a brisk 40 off only 27 balls, after losing opening partner Tamin Khan (11) to an outstanding diving catch by OJ Pitcher in the covers.

Tucker, who had to abort his fifth over, claimed one for 20 and Hurdle one for 31 off five overs to lead the Bermuda attack.

Despite picking up early wickets, Bermuda’s bowling lacked the necessary venom to penetrate on a pitch that played easier as the match progressed.

It was Bermuda’s first official ODI against a Test-playing team. And almost from the outset, after winning the toss and electing to bat first, it became evident their task would not be an easy one against more experienced opponents.

A disciplined Bangladesh attack made life difficult for the local batsmen on an even track offering some movement off the seam. The Asians made the breakthrough as early as the sixth over and were able to keep their opponents on the back foot for the most part, helped by some excellent fielding.

Several of the Island’s bats managed good starts. But every time Bermuda seemed to be getting on top of the bowling, Bangladesh — driven by a quartet of left arm spinners — found a way to undermine the their efforts.

A typically aggressive Lionel Cann banged a brutal 33 runs off 29 balls, Saleem Mukuddem contributed a vital 32 towards the end of innings, a watchful Tucker scored 31 and a confident Pitcher (30) provided another polished innings belying his tender years.

Middle order bat David Hemp (20) and number nine Delyone Borden (19) also made useful contributions as Bermuda gave a reasonably good account of themselves with the bat.

Bermuda’s innings began with promise as openers Clay Smith (12) and Dean Minors (11) quickly dug in and set about laying the foundation. The pair produced 18 runs before Smith, who smashed two fours through the covers on a heavy outfield, was gloved behind by Bangladesh wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim in the sixth over playing loosely at a Syed Rasel delivery pitched down the off stump and moving away from the batsman.

Minors was joined by Pitcher and together the pair diligently set about repairing the early damage by producing 22 runs in 11 overs for the second wicket.

Minors grew in confidence at the crease as time went by, delighting the sparse but vocal gathering at the historical ground with some forceful shots off the back foot through the off side.

Pitcher also seemed comfortable in the middle although the Island team still found runs hard to come by.

Bangladesh were able to reduce the run rate to a trickle and keep Bermuda’s batsmen in check. And they eventually struck again in the 17th over with the dismissal of Minors just as he had begun to loosen his shoulders.

The veteran batsman was bowled after facing 40 deliveries by first change bowler and left arm spinner Abdur Razzak attempting to work the ball off his pads through the on side.

Bermuda’s English County player David Hemp helped steady the ship somewhat with Pitcher during a 40-run third-wicket stand in ten overs. After a shaky start, Hemp settled down at the crease and seemed destined for a big score after effortlessly dispatching Razzak over the extra cover boundary for six — the first of the innings.

The joy was shortlived though as Bangladesh picked up three wickets in the space of four overs to turn the tide strongly in their favour.

Hemp was the first to go, caught just in front of the third man boundary after getting a thick edge to a slower pitched delivery from left arm spinner Mohammed Rafique. The Glamorgan skipper hit two boundaries and faced 45 balls prior to his dismissal that one local commentator described as “unfortunate”.

Bermuda skipper Irving Romaine (0) made a cameo appearance before he was judged leg before from a delivery that looked to be rising over the stumps from a good length to give Rafique his second wicket in the space of six balls . And before Romaine had time to remove his pads in the Sir Viv Richards pavilion he was reunited with Pitcher who tried in vain to accelerate the run rate.

The 22-year-old batsman managed one boundary during his 59-ball knock before becoming the fifth wi cket to fall — caught at long-on — to place Bangladesh firmly in the driver’s seat with Bermuda tottering at 83 for five after 31 overs.

But Cann and Tucker Both Cann and Tucker breathed much needed life into Bermuda’s innings with a timely and vital sixth-wicket stand of 45 in six overs. Cann, the more aggressive of the two, mercilessly belted anything short or loose over the fence with awesome power, while Tucker seemed keen to play a supporting role.

The pair carried Bermuda past the century mark in the 32nd over, Cann smashing successive boundaries off Hassan. But just as Bermuda began to take the upper hand, right arm fast bowler Tapash Baishya made a breakthrough during his second spell by bowling the free-scoring Cann with a yorker, charging in from the commentators’ end of the ARG.

Cann hit three fours and a six off left arm spinner Hassan who came in for some harsh treatment from the St.David’s’ slugger.

It was then left to Tucker and Mukuddem to try and pick up the pieces. And together the senior batsmen managed to take the score past the 150 mark during a 24-run seventh-wicket partnership in six overs.

But Tucker’s innings was cut short by a superbly taken diving catch inside the long-on boundary by Rafique as the batsman tried to push the pedal to the floor with overs running out. Tucker hit three fours off 39 balls.

Mukuddem and Borden then batted out the final seven overs to see that Bermuda posted a creditable total, producing 53 runs for the seventh wicket — the biggest stand of the innings.

South African-born Mukuddem clobbered three fours off 36 deliveries before he was run out attempting a second run on the final ball of the innings, while the unbeaten Borden hit one boundary off 22 balls.

Off spinner Rafique, who produced a fine all-round performance, led the Bangladesh attack with two for 38, bowling unchanged from the commentators’ end while the remaining five Bermuda wickets to fall were shared evenly among five bowlers.

Bermuda take on Canada today in the final match of their triangular series in Antigua before heading off to St.Vincent on Thursday.