Samuels’ unbeaten hundred, two wickets crush BCB XI – Tour match

Marlon Samuels

FATULLAH, Bangladesh,  CMC – Marlon Samuels warmed up for greater battles over the next month with a boundary-studded, undefeated 102 and steady bowling to catapult West Indies to a 75-run victory over the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI yesterday.

All but 18 of Samuels’ runs were in boundaries, as West Indies posted a 195 for three from their allocation of 20 overs in a Twenty20 tour match at the Osmani Stadium.

Batting at three, Samuels struck 15 fours and four sixes from just 56 balls, putting on 102 for the third wicket with compatriot Andre Russell, who smote three fours and three sixes in 58 from 35 balls.

Marlon Samuels

Samuels corked a memorable match with an impressive spell bowling his off-spin. He was the pick of the West Indies bowlers with two for 18 from four overs, as the BCB XI were restricted to 120 for six from their 20 overs.
The match was the final run-out for West Indies before their international series with Bangladesh opens with a Twenty20 match tomorrow at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirupur.

After West Indies captain Darren Sammy fired out openers Junaid Siddique for 10 and Jahurul Islam for one in the space of four balls in the second over, Shahriar Nafees scored 29 and Raqibul Hasan made 22 to lead a recovery.

West Indies however, stuck to their plans, restricting the home team’s scoring in the middle overs, and Samuels bowled Shuvagoto Hom and Nadif Chowdhury for 11 apiece to set the BCB XI back further.

Earlier, Adrian Barath fell for seven early, after West Indies chose to bat, but fellow opener and compatriot Lendl Simmons added 44 with Samuels to get things back on track before he departed in the sixth over for 12.

Russell came to the crease with 84 balls remaining, and plundered the BCB XI bowling with Samuels for all but the last 20 deliveries.

Samuels reached his 50 from just 33 deliveries with a drive to long-off for four, and Russell reached the same milestone from 31 balls with a six over long-on before he was dismissed.

In the closing overs, Samuels was merciless, greedily smashing 41 including consecutive sixes in the penultimate over before rushing past his hundred in the final over.