Bangladesh top order collapses in reply to WIndies' 400-plus first innings

Capitalising on Bangladesh’s poor batting show, West Indies went atop in the second and final Test, at the end of the day two, at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in  Dhaka on Friday.

Bangladesh is now trailing by 309 runs after ending day two on 105-4 in reply of West Indies’ 409 in the first innings, reports BSS.

The home side experienced a sensational collapse at the start of the innings, that left them firstly 11-2 and then 71-4 before a stubborn Mushfiqur Rahim and Mohammad Mithun weathered a pumped-up West Indies bowlers to see out the day.

Mushfiqur is in the crease with 27 runs with Mithun who played out 61 balls for his 6.

Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel was the wrecker-in-chief, claiming 2-31 to end the day. He got apt support from off-spinner Rahkeen Cornwall and fellow pacer Alzarri Joseph, both of whom took one wicket each.

But the star of the day was West Indies wicket-keeper batsman Joshua Da Silva, who helped the side put up 409, when the Caribbean side would have pleased with 350.

Da Silva struck a superb 92 and backed up by Nkrumah Bonner (90) and Alzarri Joseph (82) to put the side in command.

The wicket-keeper batsman was part of two significant partnerships, which propelled West Indies past 400 runs.

He and Bonner put on 88-run for the sixth wicket before Joseph joined Da Silva to help the side amass 118-run for the seventh wicket partnership.

After resuming the day on 223-5, Bonner and Da Silva kept West Indies steady with a contrasting approach of caution and aggression.

Bonner looked solid like the first day while Da Silva cut fast bowler Abu Jayed Rahi for boundary past backward point to begin his day.

Da Silva continued his aggressive approach to help the side tick the scoreboard rapidly but off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz broke through against the play as he dismissed Bonner, when he was 10 runs away from his maiden century.

Bonner who started the day with 73, finally was out on 90 off 207, a fine innings included seven boundaries.

Alzarri Joseph, however, had no intention to defend anything. He took Bangladeshi bowlers in disdain right after coming to the crease and helped West Indies to take the lead.

Da Silva joined the party to make the bowlers disarray further before he brought up his second Test 50 with a reverse-swept boundary against Miraz.

He batted sensibly and appeared set for his maiden ton but left-arm spinner Taijul Islam baffled him with an arm-ball for his 100 Test wickets at home. Da Silva clobbered nine boundaries in a knock in which he played 209 balls.

Joseph hit eight fours and five sixes for his fluent 82 off 108 before he edged one to wicket-keeper Liton Das off Abu Jayed delivery.

West Indies collapsed after Joseph’s dismissal as it lost the last four wickets for 25 runs.

Abu Jayed Rahi and Taijul Islam ended with four wickets apiece for Bangladesh.

But Shannon Gabriel struck twice in his first two overs, dismissing opener Soumya Sarkar for 0, after he played a lazy shot to offer a catch at short midwicket before Nazmul Hossain (4) edged one to gully.

With 11-2, Captain Mominul Haque and opener Tamim Iqbal started the repair job but the captain played an expensive cut shot against off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall to be out on 21, bringing an end to the 58-run partnership.

Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph then dismissed Tamim for 44 to worsen Bangladesh’s situation more.