CHATTOGRAM, Bangladesh, CMC – Off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall snatched a five-wicket haul and Nkrumah Bonner and John Campbell struck half-centuries, as West Indies dominated the second day of their three-day tour match against the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI here yesterday.
The 27-year-old Cornwall finished with five for 47 as the hosts, resuming from their overnight 24 without loss, were dismissed cheaply for 160, about an hour after lunch at the MA Aziz Stadium.
Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican also signalled tour selectors by claiming three for 25, as spin took prominence for West Indies.
Armed with a healthy lead of 97, West Indies finished the day on 179 for five in their second innings, thanks to an unbeaten 80 from Bonner and Campbell’s 68.
Cruising at 130 for one at one stage courtesy of a 129-run, second wicket stand between Bonner and Campbell, West Indies lost three quick wickets for 14 runs in the space of 31 balls, to lose momentum in the final session.
They enter today’s final day with an overall lead of 276 runs, with a win likely to boost their confidence ahead of Wednesday’s start of the opening Test.
West Indies started the morning strongly when seamer Kemar Roach hit Saif Hassan in front for 15 with the day’s fifth ball, before the hosts had added to their overnight score. However, 21-year-old Mohammad Naim arrived at the crease to play a counter-attacking innings of 45 off 48 deliveries with nine fours, in a 74-run, second wicket partnership with Shadman Islam (22).
Once Cornwall bowled Naim with lunch approaching, the BCB XI stumbled, losing a further two wickets with just two runs added, to reach the interval on 115 for four. After the break, Nurul Hasan (30) and Shahadat Hossain (13) extended their fifth wicket stand to 30 before Warrican got the breakthrough with his first wicket, removing Shahadat. That dismissal opened the floodgates and Warrican and Cornwall ran through the BCB XI lower order, with the last six wickets going down for just 30 runs.
In their second turn at the crease, West Indies lost Shayne Moseley without scoring to the fourth ball of the innings with a single run on the board, lbw to seamer Khaled Ahmed.
But Bonner joined Campbell in a solid century partnership to stabilise the innings and carry the Windies safely to tea on 67 for one. Unbeaten on 39 at tea, Bonner has so far faced 131 deliveries and struck 12 fours while the left-handed Campbell hit nine fours off 98 balls in just shy of 3-¼ hours at the crease. Off-spinner Saif Hassan (2-32) triggered the slide when he claimed Campbell and followed up in his next over by ensuring a second failure for Test vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood (4). And when Kyle Mayers was lbw to 20-year-old off-spinner Towhid Hridoy for eight, West Indies were stumbling on 144 for four.
Bonner, who reached his half-century in the third over after tea, combined with Kavem Hodge (19) in a 33-run, fifth wicket partnership to temporarily halt the slide.
But with the close beckoning, West Indies relinquished some of their advantage when Hodge perished to an lbw decision off 20-year-old seamer Mukidul Islam in the day’s penultimate over.