WEST Indies were indebted to their last-wicket pair after escaping with a one-wicket win in the first one-day international against Bangladesh at Arnos Vale in St Vincent.
The home side seemed to be cruising to victory in St Vincent at 119-4 before losing five wickets for 14 runs.
It was left to Ian Bradshaw (12 n.o.) and Fidel Edwards (4 n.o.) to claim the last 12 runs required after Ricardo Powell's departure for 52 sparked a collapse. Final scores: West Indies 145-9 v Bangladesh 144-8
Earlier Bangladesh made 144-8 in their 50 overs after recovering from 3-5.
The visitors almost snatched an incredible victory as Manjural Islam claimed 3-21 off his 10 overs and Khaled Mahmud weighed in with 2-15.
Stand-in captain Ramnaresh Sarwan scored 22 but with two run-outs the Windies seemed bent on self-destruction before their last pair saved the day.
Bradshaw, who also took 2-11 in the Bangladesh innings, was named man-of-the-match.
Bangladesh lost two wickets in their opening over but went on to bat out the 50 overs.
A 62-run partnership between Khaled Mashud and Mohammad Rafique frustrated the West Indies bowlers.
Sarwan exhausted his best bowlers early on and had to resort to using part-timers Chris Gayle and Dwayne Smith.
Bangladesh had slumped to 3-5 when opener Sahariar Hossain was caught at slip off paceman Tino Best and captain Habibul Bashar was lbw next ball.
Worse was to come as Fidel Edwards marked his opening over by dismissing Manjural Islam for a single.
Mohammad Ashraful and Rajin Saleh then put on 38 for the fourth wicket before they too gave their wickets away.
But Mashud, 30, and Rafique, 32, steered Bangladesh to a respectable total.
Best, making his one-day debut, finished with figures of 4-35 off his 10 overs.
The second match of the series is on today. (BBC Sport)
BANGLADESH
S.Hossain c Gayle b Best 0
M.Islam lbw b Edwards 1
H.Bashar lbw b Best 0
R.Saleh c Jacobs b Bradshaw 20
M.Ashraful c Jacobs b Edwards 17
A.Kapali c Best b Bradshaw 5
M.Rahman c Joseph b Best 13
K.Mashud not out 30
K.Mahmud b Best 0
M.Rafique not out 32
Extras: (lb-8, w-17, nb-1) 26
Total: (for eight wickets, 50 overs) 144
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 1-0, 3-5, 4-43, 5-51, 6-52, 7-79, 8-82.
Bowling: Best 10-1-35-4, Edwards 10-0-24-2, Bradshaw 10-4-11-2, Bravo 10-2-20-0, Smith 3-0-16-0 (nb-1), Gayle 7-0-30-0.
WEST INDIES
C.Gayle c K.Mashud b T.Baisya 0
R.Powell b K.Mahmud 52
S.Joseph c K.Mashud b K.Mahmud 7
S.Chanderpaul lbw b M.Islam 15
R.Sarwan c M.Rahman b R.Saleh 22
D.Bravo run-out (M.Rafique) 16
D.Smith stp. K.Mashud b M.Islam 2
R.Jacobs run-out (M.Islam) 1
I.Bradshaw not out 12
T.Best lbw b M.Islam 2
F.Edwards not out 4
Extras: (lb-2, w-9, nb-1) 12
Total: (for nine wickets, 46.4) 145
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-46, 3-81, 4-83, 5-119, 6-123, 7-126, 8-126, 9-133.
Bowling: Tapash Baisya 6-1-25-1, Mushfiqur Rahman 6-0-20-0, Khaled Mahmud 10-3-15-2, Mohammad Rafique 9.4-0-35-0, Manjural Islam 10-2-21-3, Alok Kapali 3-0-16-0, Rajin Saleh 2-0-11-1.