West Indies wrap up Test series win in Bangladesh

Devendra Bishoo takes five wickets to help the West Indies to a 229-run win and clinch their first away series win in eight years.

West Indies players celebrate the wicket of Banglades batsman Raqibul Hasan on their way to winning the second Test by 229 runs to secure their first away series win in eight years.
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DHAKA // Devendra Bishoo, the leg-spinner, grabbed five for 90 as the West Indies trounced Bangladesh by 229 runs in the second Test in Dhaka on Wednesday to win their first away series in eight years.

Bangladesh, who were set an improbable victory target of 508 runs, were shot out for 278 soon after lunch on the fifth day at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.

Bishoo, the Guyanese bowler who turns 26 on Sunday, returned with career-best figures in only his seventh Test and Darren Sammy, the captain, chipped in with two for 19 to rout the hosts.

The emphatic win after the drawn first match in Chittagong will provide a massive boost for morale for Sammy's men, who begin a three-Test series in India on Sunday.

It was the first series win away from home for the West Indies since November 2003, when they beat Zimbabwe 1-0. Their last Test win abroad was against South Africa in Port Elizabeth in December, 2007.

"This feels very good," said Sammy. "We knew it was going to be difficult, but this was just reward due to the efforts from the guys and the coaching staff.

"It was good to see the way we came together. The coach [Ottis Gibson] focuses on constant improvements, and we showed that in this series. It was a complete team effort."

Sammy's team won despite the absence of star batsman Chris Gayle, who has not played international cricket since the Cricket World Cup earlier this year due to differences with the West Indies Cricket Board.

Bangladesh, resuming at the overnight score of 164 for three, lost the crucial wickets of opener Tamim Iqbal, captain Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan in the morning session.

Tamim, Bangladesh's main batting hope, who was unbeaten on 82, added just one more run when he was caught in the slips off Bishoo in the day's third over.

The left-hander's 83 contained eight boundaries and a six.

Shakib and Rahim raised visions of a Bangladesh fightback when they put on 88 runs for the fifth wicket, before both batsmen fell in the space of four runs.

Shakib made 55 when he tried to steer Sammy to third man, but only managed to sky a catch to Shivnarine Chanderpaul running back from the slip region.

Rahim took his overnight score of 33 to 69 when he was bowled by a superb delivery from Bishoo that spun sharply from leg to clip the off stump.

Bishoo struck twice in the first over after lunch, trapping Nasir Hossain leg-before and having Suhrawadi Shuvo caught by Sammy.

Kemar Roach, the fast bowler, sealed the win by bowling out last man Rubel Hossain.

Rahim said the loss of three wickets in the first session cost Bangladesh dearly.

"We needed to play the first session without losing wickets, but that didn't happen," the Bangladesh captain said.

"After losing the toss on a batting wicket, our bowlers did a great job to keep them down to 355. But our batting let us down in the first-innings when we were bowled out for 231.

"If you want to win a Test, you need to score big, and that is something our top order could not do. There's a tough series coming up against Pakistan, hope we can pull up our socks."

Pakistan are due to tour Bangladesh from the end of this month for two Tests, three one-dayers and a Twenty20 international.