Chasing 490 runs for victory, Bangladesh A team were trailing by 379 runs at lunch on the final day of the second four day game against Sagicor High Performance Center yesterday. Bangladesh A resumed their chase on 32 for 3 and added another 79 runs for two more wickets before lunch. Opener Imrul Kayes was unbeaten on 63 runs but could hardly find a partner to hold the innings together as wickets kept on falling at the other end.
First wicket to fall in the morning session was Mominul Haque who departed in the 35th over after scoring 19 runs. 3 overs later, it was skipper Nasir Hossain’s turn to perish who did not even trouble the scorers to register his second duck in the two-match series. With only five wickets to spare and a mammoth target to chase, a dreadfully humiliating whitewash loomed large as the visitors went for lunch.
Earlier on day three, hosts Sagicor started the day on their overnight score of 24 for no loss and declared their innings after amassing 354 runs on the board for the loss of five wickets. A 207 run partnership for the second wicket between Jermaine Blackwood and Assad Fudadin helped the home side to build a large lead.
Right-handed top order batsman Jermaine was sensational for the home side as his 147 runs came of just 157 deliveries. The 22-year-old Jamaican hit 12 fours and five maximums before losing his wicket to the innocuous spin of Shuvagata Hom. Assad provided due support to Jermaine at the other end as he himself scored a steady 89 off 235 balls as Sagicor declared their second innings on 354 which coincidentally matched exactly with their first innings total to set the visitors a mountainous 490 runs for victory.
Nasir bowled 16 overs to pick up two wickets while Taijul, Muktar Ali and Shuvagata bagged a wicket each.
Later Bangladesh A was denied a smooth start to the chase as they lost three quick wickets with only 32 runs on the board when third day’s play ended. Opener Shamsur Rahman, Marshal Ayub and night watchman Elias Sunny lost their wickets scoring 9, 0 and 4 runs respectively.
