Sammy the hero as West Indies level series

Darren Sammy hit a fighting half-century and then grabbed three early wickets to help the West Indies beat Bangladesh by 75 runs in the fourth one-day international in Dhaka on Friday. The 28-year-old scored an unbeaten 60 to take the tourists to 211-9, after they were put into bat, and his impressive bowling was central to an attack that saw the home team out for 136 in 34.1 overs at Shere Bangla stadium. The victory means the five-match series is now level at 2-2, setting up a high-stakes final showdown on Saturday. Sammy rocked the home team by dismissing Anamul Haque (one) with the fourth delivery of the second over and then had Naeem Islam (nought) caught out on the next ball to leave the home team reeling at 3-2. Pace partner Kemar Roach (2-29) then struck further blows on the home team by bowling Tamim Iqbal (one) and Nasir Hossain (two) in the third over. Sammy then piled on the pain, taking the wicket of Mominul Haque (one) in the sixth over to leave the hosts at 13-5. Mohammad Mahmudullah, who remained unbeaten on 56, added an invaluable 74 runs for the sixth wicket with skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (27) but once the partnership was broken by Sunil Narine all was lost for the home team. Mahmudullah hit seven boundaries in his fighting 78-ball stay at the crease. Veerasammy Permaul and Dwayne Smith also chipped in with two wickets apiece. Sammy said he was due for a good knock after a poor series. "I was due for a performance like this and I am happy that I contributed to my team's success," said Sammy, declared man-of-the-match. "We now hope to win the last game and end the series on a high." Rahim rued the early loss of wickets. "Our bowlers did a good job although we dropped too many catches and that is where we lost out, the wicket was not too difficult to chase but we collapsed at the start and could not recover," said Rahim. Earlier, Bangladeshi spinners Mahmudullah (3-46), Elias Sunny (2-21) and Abdur Razzak (2-47) derailed the West Indian innings in the middle overs after the tourists were cruising along well at 71-1. Dashing West Indian opener Chris Gayle once again failed, dismissed for 16 after he looked set for a big score when he hit paceman Mashrafe Mortaza for a six and four in the sixth over. He fell in the same over, caught by Sohag Gazi. Kieran Powell (26) and Marlon Samuels (27) took the score to 71 when the Bangladeshi spinners struck thrice in as many overs, with Sunny taking wickets of both the batsmen in his successive overs. Off-spinner Mahmudullah then took over, dismissing Kieron Pollard (two), Devon Thomas (10) and Permaul (one) to derail the West Indies. In between these three wickets, Sammy and Bravo added an invaluable 43 for the seventh wicket. Bangladesh won the first two matches by seven wickets and 160 runs respectively -- both in Khulna -- while the West Indies clinched the third in Dhaka by four wickets.