NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph struck twice late in the final session to keep West Indies in control of the opening Test, after the hosts had lost a cluster of wickets in the middle period to be dismissed for a subpar total and concede some of their advantage on the second day here yesterday.
With Bangladesh having made a steady start to their second innings, Joseph (2-14) intervened to remove veteran left-hander Tamim Iqbal for 22 and Mehidy Hasan Miraz for two, leaving the visitors on 50 for two at the close – still 112 runs behind heading into day three at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium.
West Indies had earlier been bowled out for a disappointing 265, collapsing from a strong position of 197 for three after lunch to lose their last seven wickets for 68 runs.
Captain Kraigg Brathwaite missed out on his 11th Test hundred when he perished for 94 while vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood stroked 63 and Nkrumah Bonner, 33.
Debutant Gudakesh Motie chanced his arm for an unbeaten 23 off 21 balls but off-spinner Mehidy Hasan, who snared four for 59, along with seamers Khaled Ahmed (2-59) and Ebadot Hossain (2-65), combined to torpedo the West Indies innings.
“I think we feel disappointed as a team, as a batting unit. I think we would’ve loved to bat out the day because there would’ve been some heavy legs on their side tomorrow,” Blackwood said afterwards.
“Today, we were just trying to bat time, bat as long as possible and wear down the Bangladesh bowlers for as long as possible.
“But credit to the Bangladesh bowlers, I thought they bowled pretty good to us, they didn’t give us too many loose balls to score [off]. Overall, we’re disappointed because we lost a lot of wickets in the last part [of the innings].”
Resuming the morning on 95 for two, West Indies overhauled Bangladesh’s first innings total of 103 as Brathwaite and Bonner extended their third wicket stand to 62.
Brathwaite, starting on 42, moved to 75 at lunch but lost Bonner – the only casualty of the session – in the first over following the drinks break, bowled by captain Shakib-al-Hasan after misreading one from the left-arm spinner which came on with the arm.
He faced 96 balls and struck three fours.
Paired with Blackwood on nine at the interval, Brathwaite looked a sure bet for three figures before playing back to one from Khaled which stayed a touch low, and finding himself lbw on the stroke of the first hour afterwards.
His dismissal proved the breakthrough Bangladesh required as Mehidy Hasan quickly got stuck into the middle and lower order.
He struck left-hander Kyle Mayers in front for nine and got Joshua Da Silva (1) to feather a defensive prod behind, before disposing of Alzarri Joseph without scoring also to a catch at the wicket in the third over after tea, taken at 231 for six.
Amidst the carnage, Blackwood gathered his 16th Test fifty to be 53 not out at the second interval, but was eventually ninth out after facing 139 balls in a shade over 3-½ hours and striking nine fours, brilliantly taken at cover by Mehidy Hasan off Khaled.
Trailing by 162 runs, Bangladesh got a 33-run first wicket stand from Tamim and Mahmudul Hasan Joy (18 not out) before Joseph struck in successive overs.
First, he found Tamim’s edge for Da Silva to take a one-handed blinder in front of first slip and then got Mehidy Hasan to nick off to Mayers at first slip.