May 07, 2008	Wednesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1, 1429

DAMBULLA, May 6: Karu Jain and Jhulan Goswami stitched together a 53-run fifth-wicket stand to help India overcome Bangladesh and record a fourth successive win in the Women’s Asia Cup here on Monday.

Chasing 161, India collapsed to 58 for three, with Anagha Deshpande, Asha Rawat and Thirush Kamini falling on 18. Deshpande was bowled by Panna Ghosh while the other two were run-out.

Priyanka Roy and Rumeli Dhar briefly steadied the innings by adding 30, before Roy became the third run-out victim. Dhar, however, could not build on her 39-ball 31 when she was caught by Ghosh off Shathira Jakir.

Jain and Goswami, the stand-in skipper, then stood firm to take India to safety, with Jain being the main aggressor, striking five boundaries.

Earlier, Salma Khatun, the 17-year old Bangladesh captain, played a lone hand of 90 before her team folded for 160. Salma’s knock, which took 140 balls and featured 20 fours, took her to third-spot in the run-getter’s list.

Her decision to bat first, though, went awry as Bangladesh collapsed to 14 for three, with leg-spinner Kamini claiming two of those wickets.

Salma then partnered Ghosh in a 64-run stand to get their innings back on track, but a Roy double-strike hampered their progress. Salma kept up the fight and made the most of the little support she got before falling in the 48th over.

Summarised scores:

BANGLADESH 160 in 50 overs (Salma Khatun 90, Panna Ghosh 24; M.D.T. Kamini 2-14, P. Roy 2-18, R. Dhar 2-31); INDIA 161-5 in 41 overs (K.V. Jain 33 not out, R. Dhar 31, J. Goswami 23 not out).—Agencies