Visiting Bangladesh side trailed by 355 runs with 9 wickets remaining at tea in the 1st innings on day two of the second and last Test against West Indies at St Lucia yesterday.
Bangladesh replying to the home side’s 380 runs in the first innings scored 25 runs losing the wicket of opening batsman Shamsur Rahman. Tamim Iqbal was unbeaten on 23 with Anamul Haque who had added a single run to the tally.
Shamsur could score only one run before going back to the dressing room. The right handed batsman facing Kemar Roach, tried to flick the ball which was sliding down the leg side but only got a little tickle on it.
Earlier, West Indies turned a bad morning into a good afternoon which should have had encouraged their bowlers, after they were bowled out for 380 in the first innings. Shivnarine Chanderpaul made an unbeaten 84, but more crucial were his half-century partnerships with the eighth and ninth wickets.
After West Indies had slipped to 269 for 7 in the early session of the day, Chanderpaul added a rapid 54 with Jerome Taylor, who hammered 40 with five fours and two sixes. Then, with the No.10 Suleiman Benn, Chanderpaul put up 52, with Benn making 25 before being caught at fine-leg off Al-Amin Hossain. Shannon Gabriel, however, could not stonewall, as he was cleaned up by Robiul Islam.
Bangladesh’s pace attack was miserly to start off with, and they triggered a West Indies collapse which saw four wickets fall for 18 runs in the space of 3.4 overs, before the tail-enders frustrated them. Al-Amin took three wickets while there was two each for Robiul, Shafiul Islam and Taijul Islam. Mahmudullah’s only wicket was that of Kirk Edwards.
Despite their promise shown by the seamers, Bangladesh’s fielding left a lot to be desired. Chanderpaul was dropped on four while Taylor was given a reprieve on 18. Edwards and Leon Johnson, however, could not take advantage of the lives they were gifted on the first day.
Even though the visitors dominated the first session, West Indies did pick up 95 runs in the 23 overs before lunch, as well as another 39 runs in 11 overs before being bowled out.
