GROS ISLET, St. Lucia - West Indies' bid for victory was stonewalled by unpenetrative bowling and a dogged maiden Test hundred from Khaled Mashud that earned Bangladesh a draw on the last day of the opening cricket Test yesterday.
Mashud was undefeated on 103 when Habibul Bashar had the distinct pleasure of being the first Bangladesh captain to declare in a Test with his team on 271 for nine in their second innings.
Coming to the crease the previous evening when Bangladesh had crashed to 79 for six, Mashud, the former Bangladesh captain, struck 13 fours from 281 balls in 5-1/2 hours.
Set the highly improbable, if not impossible target of 336 from 29 overs to win, West Indies reached 113 without loss with Chris Gayle using the relaxed atmosphere to score an unbeaten 66 and Devon Smith making 40 not out before the match came to its expected conclusion.
"The pitch in this match was very much in the favour of the batsmen and it was always going to be tough for us to get 20 wickets on that pitch," West Indies captain Brian Lara said.
"I know the guys bowled well, but playing four bowlers on such a pitch was really taking a chance. Credit, however, must be given to the bowlers and the work they put into this match. Let's hope they can reap the benefits in Jamaica."
The result leaves the two-Test series tied at 0-0 and gives Bangladesh only their third draw in 29 Tests of which they have lost 26. It means the second Test, starting on Friday in Jamaica, will decide the series.
"It was a total team effort, whenever we needed someone to step up they did, and so I am very happy with the boys," Bashar told reporters.
We gained a lot of positives from this match, but every time we play there is always room to improve, and so we will take the positives from this match and try to improve on them in Jamaica."
West Indies had only one success in the morning period when Rajin Saleh was adjudged lbw to Fidel Edwards for 51. He occupied the crease for just over 2-1/2 hours, faced 100 balls and struck six fours.
Mashud and Mohammad Rafique then carried Bangladesh to 175 for seven at lunch. After the interval, West Indies claimed Rafique caught behind for 29 in the third over to give vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, bowling leg-spin, the last of his four wickets for 37 runs in 20 overs.
Mashud and Rafique had defied the West Indies attack for just over 1-1/2 hours either side of lunch to add 56 for the seventh wicket.
After Rafique edged playing defensively forward, Mashud and Tapash batted responsibly to continue the long, hard grind for West Indies, but Gayle broke through to have the latter caught and bowled on the stroke of tea for 26.
Mashud, the former Bangladesh captain, and Tapash offered stout resistance in a 71-run partnership for the ninth wicket, but most of the attention centred on whether the circumspect Bangladesh wicketkeeper/batsman would celebrate a milestone.
Gayle obliged him when he floated a delivery outside the off-stump and Mashud drove through cover for four to prompt the declaration and seal the fate of the match.