Windies batting folds against Bangladesh

West Indies 161 (37.2 overs); Bangladesh 162-6 (33.1 overs). Bangladesh won by four wickets.

West Indies team manager Jimmy Adams admitted his side's batsmen lacked application as they ended their tournament with a four wicket loss to Bangladesh on Wednesday.

After winning the toss, Leon Johnson's side were dismissed for just 161 with no player topping 30. And although the bowlers, led by Nelon Pascal (4-53) fought hard, they did not have enough runs to defend.

"We did not bat very well," said Adams afterwards.

"We got to 50-1 in good time but then played some poor shots and it was asking too much of the bowlers to defend just 160-odd.

"It is a cop-out to say it was one of those things too because the players are better than that. They are not lacking ability but today they lacked application."

The win gives Bangladesh the chance of finishing fifth in this ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup and they will fight for that right on Saturday against the winners of Thursday's match between Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.

"We were happy to bounce back and show some fight as we are keen to finish the tournament well," said Bangladesh coach Allister de Winter.

"It is still disappointing (not to be in the semi-finals) but the higher the finish the better as far as we are concerned.

"Our batting was not the best today but our fast bowlers were the best they have been for the whole tournament and it shows they have taken on board what we have said to them.

"And our catching and fielding was excellent too as we took three or four catches that really helped shift the match in our direction."

One of those Bangladesh fast bowlers, Dollar Mahmud, was one of their stars with the ball, dismissing the top three players in the West Indies order on the way to figures of 3-46.

He helped ensure the West Indies' solid start soon evaporated and with Nabil Samad Chowdhury (3-24) and Sakib-Al Hasan (2-32) also impressing the batting side slumped from 51-1 to be 98-8.

At that point Sunil Narine (29) and Kemar Roach (29 not out) joined forces to add 63, the highest ninth wicket stand of the tournament, but that merely put the disappointing efforts of the earlier batsmen into context.

Despite that relatively low score the West Indies still had hope of a victory that would extend their tournament when Pascal and Roach (1-32) cut a swathe through the Bangladesh top-order and at 48-4 the Tigers were tottering.

At that point Md Shamsur Rahman (44) and Mehrab Hossain (35) joined forces and they added 77 for the fifth wicket to all but stitch up the match.

The other wicket-taker for the West Indies was leg-spinner Sharmarh Brooks who bowled an excellent ten-over spell to pick up 1-27, having Mehrab stumped, one of three victims for William Perkins behind the stumps.

The West Indies were once again without opening batsman Richard Ramdeen who had still not recovered from the blow to the wrist he received against Australia last week.