Afghanistans development from a struggling team to a genuine threat to higher-ranked sides can be traced through the progressive contributions of their last few coaches. Taj Malik laid the foundations before Kabir Khan got them to think like international cricketers. Andy Moles took them to the 2015 World Cup, after which Inzamam-ul-Haq guided them to their maiden ODI and T20I series wins, over Zimbabwe.Now it is Lalchand Rajput, the former India batsman, who is taking Afghanistan further into unchartered territory. On October 1, in the third ODI, they will seek to take their next big step, by clinching their first-ever bilateral series against Bangladesh.Rajput was appointed in June this year after Inzamam left the role to take over as Pakistans chief selector. So far, Rajput has been able to consolidate and build on the progress made during Inzamams seven months as coach. Afghanistan now seem to be at least on par with Ireland, and a cut above all other Associate nations.A 2-1 series result could lead to their rise up the ODI rankings, which would be a huge confidence boost for the emerging team. Young batsman Hashmatullah Shahidi said that Rajputs focus has been on the batting, especially on how to bat for the full 50 overs and rotate the strike.In the last one year, Afghanistan cricket has been improving, Shahidi said. Before him [Rajput], Inzamam-ul-Haq did very well as our coach. Now Rajput sir is trying hard with us. He is giving us more confidence. He tells us that we are one of the best sides in the world.He is asking us to play positive cricket against each and every team. He tells us to take everything positively. He is also working on our batting. He is teaching us how to play 50 overs, play till the end and concentrate on singles.Shahidi said they are now focused on trying to finish their innings well, which they didnt do in the first ODI that they lost by seven runs. They nearly repeated their mistake in the second game before managing to scrape through with a two-wicket win.He [Rajput] told us that those who are set at the wicket should go till the end. This was our mistake in the first game. We had a good partnership but we didnt finish the game. It will be hard for the new batsmen to come and play like set batsmen. We will try to fill that gap.We had a good partnership and I scored runs in the first game but I should have finished the game. I will learn from my mistakes from the last two games, said Shahidi, who made a fifty in the first ODI.He was also confident that their spinners Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan would once again have a major say in the outcome of the game, as they did in the second ODI, tying up the Bangladesh batsmen and then picking up late wickets to derail them completely.Rashid Khan is a very good young talent. He has been successful in the last six months, Shahidi said. We have good spinners in the side like Mohammad Nabi, who bowled really well in the last game. They will, Insha Allah, do very well in the last game for us.Steady batting and the spinners well-planned spells will be Afghanistans advantage in the third ODI. If they do end up beating Bangladesh, it would be a major milestone in their cricket history, and Rajput would be lauded for his contribution, much like his predecessors Malik, Khan, Moles and Inzamam. 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CALGARY, Alberta -- David Perron had nothing to show for his hard work during St. Louis first five games of the season. That changed with a big night against Calgary.Perron had three goals and an assist to lead the Blues to a 6-4 win over the Flames on Saturday night.I feel like Ive played some good hockey, said Perron, who signed with the Blues as a free agent in the offseason. It didnt materialize into points or goals, but tonight it did.Ive got to keep working hard. I was just staying in the moment and concentrating on making sure the next shift was going to be a good one and it was a good one tonight.Paul Stastny, Patrik Berglund and Alexander Steen also scored for the Blues, while defenseman Alex Pietrangelo had two assists. Jake Allen made 23 saves to improve to 3-1-1.Stastny had no doubt that Perron was on the verge of a breakout game.Hes the reason basically we won, but I think more importantly its good for his confidence, said Stastny, who scored his third goal of the season in the second period. As a team, we saw it coming for the last couple games, which is good.Kris Versteeg scored his first two goals of the season for the Flames, who lost their second straight at home. Micheal Ferland and Mark Giordano also scored, while Chad Johnson stopped 34 shots.Were working hard, were just not working smart if were going to be blatantly honest, Versteeg said. Were going to have to be better next game. Its about puck management for us. Were a growing team, learning new things. But, were going to get better.Flames coach Glen Gulutzan didnt have any complaints about Johnsons play.I thought he gave us a chance and made some saves, Gulutzan said. We hung him out to dry, pretty simple.Calgary took a 2-1 just 3 minutes into the second thanks to two quick goals by Versteeg and Ferland.The Blues then scored the next four goals, including two by Perron, to take control.Perron tied it as he flipped his own rebound up and over Johnsons pad at 6:22. Stastny put St. Louis back ahead with just under eight minutes to go in the period during another power play wheen he tipped Steens slap shot past Johnson.dddddddddddderglund was the beneficiary of a nice setup by Nail Yakupov for an easy tap-in goal with 1:44 left in the second.Perron then finished off his hat trick at 6:50 of the third when he took a breakaway pass from Vladimir Tarasenko and made a couple quick moves before lifting a backhand shot over Johnsons right pad to make it 5-2.Giordano fired a slap shot from the high slot past Allen at 9:31 of the third before Versteegs point shot through traffic got past the St. Louis goalie with just under five minutes to go to pull the Flames within one.Steen then scored into an empty net with 39 seconds left to seal the victory.Allen had to be sharp to get a shoulder on a point shot fired his way by defenseman Deryk Engelland early in the game. At the other end of the ice, Johnson stood his ground to stop a puck that was redirected on net by Kyle Brodziak.Perron opened the scoring for St. Louis at 6:04 of the first period with a power-play goal when he tapped a nice pass from Robby Fabbri past Johnson.Versteeg converted a feed from Troy Brouwer at 2:21 of the second to tie the score. Ferland backhanded a harmless-looking shot on net 35 seconds later that squeezed under Allens glove and into the net to put the Flames ahead.Game notes Flames D Dennis Wideman returned to the lineup after sitting out the past three games as a healthy scratch and had two assists in his return. ... C Freddie Hamilton made his season debut for the Flames in place of rookie LW Matthew Tkachuk. Freddie, the older brother of D Dougie Hamilton, now has 34 games of NHL experience, five of them with the Flames. Dougie Hamilton has played in 266 NHL games, 88 with the Flames. ... Blues LW Jaden Schwartz played in his second straight game after missing the first four contests with an elbow injuryUP NEXTBlues: Host Calgary on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game homestand.Flames: At Chicago on Monday night. ' ' '