ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Veteran batsman Travis Dowlin narrowly missed out on a maiden Test century as West Indies struggled against Bangladesh’s spinners on the opening day of the crucial second Test yesterday.
The 32-year-old right-hander hit an obdurate 95, an innings that formed the foundation of West Indies’ 237 all out after they were asked to bat first at the National Stadium.
At the close, the Windies had already hit back to leave Bangladesh 35 for one, after medium pacer Darren Sammy had Imrul Kayes caught at the wicket for 14.
Needing to win this Test in order to level the series, West Indies were given a rousing start when the attacking Dale Richards and Omar Phillips posted 60 for the first wicket.
Richards carved out a typically stroke-filled 69 while Phillips got 23 from 29 balls but after they were dismissed, wickets fell steadily as the spinners found assistance from a turning pitch.
Off-spinner Mahmudullah, who started the rut with two wickets in the penultimate over before lunch, finished with three for 44 while left-arm spinners Shakib Al Hasan (3-59) and Enamul Haque jr (3-62) also finished with three wickets apiece.
It was left to Dowlin to defy the Tigers’ attack and he batted sensibly as wickets clattered around him to ill-advised strokes.
He faced 162 balls, struck seven fours and one six and shared three vital partnerships to prevent the Windies innings from total collapse.
He shared 44 for the second wicket with Richards, returned to add 43 for the fifth with David Bernard Jr (17), before adding an invaluable 59 for the eighth wicket with Ryan Austin (19) which propped up the lower order.
With Richards and Phillips motoring along, West Indies seemed set to dominate the Tigers attack.
The left-handed Phillips, who got 94 in the first Test, batted enterprising to count four fours before lofting Shakib Al Hasan to Tamim Iqbal at deep mid-wicket, attempting to clear the infield.
Richards stroked 11 fours and two sixes off 80 balls but his wicket just before lunch triggered a mini collapse as Ryan Hinds followed him quickly after for just two.
Having swatted Mahmudullah for six the previous delivery in the off-spinner’s first over, Richards scooped a return catch to the bowler off the very next ball at 104 for two.
The left-handed Hinds, called up for this match after missing the opening game in St Vincent, stroked the first ball he received through cover for a couple but then hit the next delivery back to the bowler to leave the Windies on 106 for three.
From a position of 107 for three at lunch, West Indies lost four wickets for 71 runs with captain Floyd Reifer (1), Bernard, Darren Sammy (1) and Chadwick Walton (2) all falling cheaply after the interval.
The left-handed Reifer, yet to score at lunch, faced just seven balls before being trapped lbw by Mahmudullah with the score on 114 for four.
Bernard, who got half-centuries in both innings of the St Vincent Test, then batted solidly in his fifth-wicket stand with Dowlin, before he squirted Shakib Al Hasan to point where Mohammad Ashraful took an easy catch.
Enamul Haque then hurled the innings into turmoil when he claimed Sammy and Walton in the space of six balls with just three runs added to put his side on top at 160 for seven.
It was then Austin spent 91 balls over his 19 to frustrate the Bangladeshi bowlers in a defiant lower stand with Dowlin. The right-handed Austin played with a straight bat and seemed untroubled before he stepped on his stumps as he got on to the back foot to a delivery from pacer Shahadat Hossain at 219 for eight. Tino Best was bowled by Enamul Haque in the next over without scoring and though Kemar Roach suggested permanence, Dowlin tried to accelerate his scoring to reach his landmark but only succeeded in a punching an easy catch to cover to be the last man out .(see scoreboard at left)
