DHAKA, Bangladesh, CMC – Rahkeem Cornwall’s second five-wicket haul in Tests earned West Indies a significant 113-run first innings lead, but the Caribbean side then lost three wickets in the final session to leave the second Test against Bangladesh an open affair on the third day here yesterday.
Resuming their first innings on 105 for four, Bangladesh appeared poised to get close to West Indies’ 409 when Liton Das (71) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (57) struck polished fifties in a century stand, to fire their side to 281 for six just after tea at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.
However, off-spinner Cornwall then snatched two wickets, triggering a slide that saw the hosts lose their last four wickets for 15 runs in the space of 34 deliveries, to crumble to 296 all out nearly an hour after the final interval.
Cornwall ended with five for 74 while fast bowler Shannon Gabriel added another wicket to his previous day’s tally to finish with three for 70.
Seamer Alzarri Joseph followed up his first innings half-century with two for 60.
In their second turn at the crease, however, West Indies lost a clatter of wickets to stumble to the close on 41 for three – an overall lead of 154 runs heading into today’s penultimate day.
Captain Kraigg Brathwaite fell to a catch at the wicket off off-spinner Nayeem Hasan for six in the fourth over after Bangladesh reviewed a not out decision.
And left-handed Shayne Moseley’s wretched start to his Test career continued when he edged Mehidy to second slip for seven, to give the champion off-spinner his 100th Test wicket.
Tottering on 20 for two at the drinks break, left-handed opener John Campbell (18) attempted to navigate a safe end to the day but failed, playing back to left-arm spinner Taijul Islam and going bowled off the inside edge.
The pendulum had earlier swung back and forth after Bangladesh, seeking to level the series after their stunning loss in Chattogram last week, started the day still 304 runs arrears.
Mushfiqur Rahim, resuming from his overnight 27 struck 54 to extend his fifth wicket partnership with Mohammad Mithun (15) to 71, as West Indies toiled in vain for an early breakthrough.
While Mushfiqur showed enterprise by striking seven fours off 105 deliveries in just over 2-¾ hours, Mithun struggled to get going and eventually perished approaching the first hour after adding just nine, looping a catch off Cornwall to Kraigg Brathwaite diving forward at short mid-wicket.
Cornwall struck again four overs later, this time inducing Musfiqur into an ill-advised reverse sweep which he miscued to cover where Kyle Mayers took a simple catch at head height.
In strife at 155 for six, Bangladesh were rescued by the in-form Liton and Mehidy who combined in a stellar 126-run seventh wicket stand to frustrate West Indies on either side of lunch.
Fresh from a half-century in the last Test, Liton struck seven fours off 133 balls in a shade over 3-½ hours while Mehidy, full of confidence following his maiden hundred in the first innings in Chattogram, punched six fours in an innings spanning 140 deliveries and just over 3-¼ hours.
They took Bangladesh to lunch on 181 for six and kept West Indies without success for the entire second session, as the visitors failed to grasp a couple of half-chances.
Mehidy was missed on 28 at leg slip by Nkrumah Bonner who failed to hold a sharp chance as the batsman swept hard at Cornwall while Liton, on 41, flicked at catchable height between forward and backward short leg also off Cornwall.
With Bangladesh cruising at tea on 276 for six, Cornwall intervened to break the stand by grabbing two wickets in the fourth over after the resumption.
After failing to pouch Liton diving forward at backward point in the previous over from Gabriel, Cornwall got the batsman to feather a paddle sweep, for Jermaine Blackwood to take the catch at leg slip running around from first slip.
Three balls later in the same over with no run added at 281 for eight, Cornwall claimed his five-wicket haul when he got Nayeem to edge high to Blackwood at first slip without scoring, one delivery after the Jamaican had grassed a low catch off the same batsman.
Gabriel got a deserved third wicket in the next over when Mehidy drove low to Brathwate at cover and Joseph ended the innings when last man Abu Jayed (1) fended a length ball to Bonner at gully.