Carter, Fletcher help HPC tie Twenty20 series 1-1

Cave Hill (Barbados), June 16 (IANS/CMC) Jonathan Carter's unbeaten half-century has inspired West Indies High Performance Centre (HPC) to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Bangladesh A and tie the two-match Twenty20 series 1-1.

Chasing a modest 126 for victory at 3Ws Oval, the hosts strolled to their target off just 15.3 overs, with Carter scoring an unbeaten 53 here Sunday, reports CMC.

Carter posted an 81-run, unbroken stand for the third wicket with Andre Fletcher (44 not out), as the HPC took control of the match.

The left-handed Carter was positive from the outset, gathering his half-century off just 29 balls with five fours and two sixes.

The Carter-Fletcher partnership was important considering that the HPC slipped to 45 for two in the eighth over, after seamer Shafiul Islam had removed both Johnson Charles and Nkrumah Bonner for 12.

Shafiul finished with two for 19.

Earlier, Bangladesh was restricted to 125 for seven, thanks to another penetrative spell from left-arm seamer Sheldon Cottrell who picked up three for 19.

Sent in, Bangladesh got a top score of 29 from opener Imrul Kayes, 28 from Sabbir Rahman and 25 from Shuvagata Hom.

Cottrell struck as early as the first over when he removed Nurul Hasan with the third ball of the day with just a run on the board but Imrul and Shuvagata steadied the innings with a 54-run, second wicket partnership.

Brief scores:

Bangladesh 125 for seven off 20 overs (Imrul Kayes 29, Sabbir Rahman 28, Shuvagata Hom 25; Sheldon Cottrell 3/19)

WI HPC 126 for two off 15.3 overs (Jonathan Carter 53 not out, Andre Fletcher 44 not out; Shafiul Islam 2/19)

--IANS/CMC

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