Tue, Jul 21, 2009 page18

• Bangladesh hold the aces as the West Indies wobble

  • AFP, ST GEORGE’S
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  Rain took a sizable chunk out of the day, but Bangladesh still held all the aces with the West Indies wobbly on 192 for eight in their second innings in the second and final Test on Sunday.

  The Bangladesh spinners continued to torment the West Indies’ batsmen and the home team could only extend their lead to 197 in the time available on the third day at the Queen’s Park Stadium Complex.

  The entire evening session was lost to the weather, after rain had earlier stopped play about half an hour before lunch and the afternoon session started about 1 hour, 10 minutes later than scheduled after the interval.

  

  David Bernard Jr of the West Indies plays a shot on his way to a half-century during the third day of the second Test against Bangladesh at the Queen’s Park Stadium Complex in St George’s, Grenada, on Sunday.

  PHOTO: AP

  The Tigers’ spinners applied the pressure throughout the truncated day and the West Indies’ batsmen — except for birthday boy Dave Bernard Jr — cracked.

  Shakib Al Hasan was Bangladesh’s most successful bowler with four wickets for 61 runs from 22 overs, while fellow left-arm spinner Enamul Haque Jr took two for 42 from 15 overs.

  However, Bangladesh found Bernard hard to dislodge and he reached 50 for the third time in the series when he swung his 56th ball from Enamul over mid-wicket for his sixth four.

  The spinners were never able to dominate him and the lanky all-rounder struck six fours and one six in an unbeaten 61 from 71 balls in a little over two hours.

  The weather intervened before lunch to set Bangladesh’s effort back, after their spinners, led by Shakib, bowled them back into contention when they reduced the West Indies to 124 for five at the interval.

  Shakib made the breakthrough in the eighth over of the morning, after the West Indies continued from their overnight total of 56 for one.

  The acting Bangladesh captain removed Omar Phillips, when the left-handed opener was caught at deep square leg for 29.

  Four overs later, Shakib had Ryan Hinds caught at leg-slip for 2, when the left-handed batsman gloved a sweep shot.

  Spinner Mahmudullah, who has been the most successful bowler for Bangladesh in the series, then removed West Indies captain Floyd Reifer for 3 to a questionable leg before wicket decision from New Zealand umpire Tony Hill.

  Video replays suggested that Reifer was struck just outside the off-stump and the ball would have spun away from the lanky left-hander.

  Enamul Haque Jr then added to the West Indies’ pain when he scalped Travis Dowlin for 49 to an incredulous leg before wicket verdict from Hill to leave the West Indies 110 for five.

  TV replays again suggested that the batsman was struck just outside the off-stump and the ball would have spun away past the stumps.

  When play resumed after lunch, the Bangladesh spinners wheeled away, while Bernard and Darren Sammy spent the first 40 minutes putting up their best defense.

  However, things came undone when Enamul had Sammy caught at mid-wicket for 22 to trigger a decline that saw the West Indies lose three wickets for 21 runs in the space of 43 balls.

  Shakib, leading Bangladesh in the absence of the injured Mashrafe Mortaza, had Chadwick Walton caught at slip for 1 edging a loose drive at a wide ball, before Shahadat Hossain returned for a second spell and had Ryan Austin caught in the mid-wicket region for 3.

  Rain sent the players scampering for a slightly early tea break and they never returned to the field, despite several attempts.

  Bangladesh lead the two-Test series 1-0, after they won the opening Test in St Vincent by 95 runs.
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