All to do for Tigers
Bangladesh staged a fightback in the last session of the third day, picking up three wickets as the West Indies ended the day on 49 for three in their second innings. However, the hosts are still on the back foot in the second and final Test as the visitors have taken a lead of 154 runs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
Nayeem Hasan, Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam picked up a wicket each to dismiss the top three West Indies batsmen in quick succession in the final hour of the day. Miraz removed Shayne Moseley to become the youngest and fastest Bangladeshi bowler to 100 Test wickets in his 24th game.
Earlier, Bangladesh were bundled out for 296 in their first innings, giving the hosts a healthy 113-run first-innings lead.
Once again, the Tigers seemed to have muddled their approach when they resumed the third day on 105 for four in their first innings in reply to a huge 409 from the West Indies.
Off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall was the pick of the visiting bowlers, bagging his second five-wicket haul to bundle out Bangladesh below the 300 mark.
Both overnight batsmen -- Mohammad Mithun and Mushfiqur Rahim -- managed to negotiate a barrage of bouncers from Shannon Gabriel for the first 30 minutes. But just when the pair looked settled enough to put on a big partnership, Mithun mistimed a flick off Cornwall to short mid-wicket after facing 86 ball for 15 runs, ending the fifth-wicket stand at 72.
At the other end, Mushfiqur remained solid and reached his 22nd fifty while doing his best to unsettle Cornwall. The experienced batsman was living dangerously and survived two close calls, including a tight leg-before decision when Mushfiqur was hit on his back leg while attempting to sweep Cornwall.
Mushfiqur had a brain fade soon after, going for a reverse sweep when his side needed 55 runs to avoid the follow-on. That shot came off the toe-end of his bat and he departed for 54, handing a simple catch to cover off Cornwall's bowling. Bangladesh were left on 155 for six inside the first session.
The hosts' best time with the bat in the entire series so far probably came when
Mehedi Hasan Miraz joined Liton Das for the seventh wicket. The pair ensured that Bangladesh would see out the second session without losing a wicket and both got to their fifities. Bangladesh took tea on 272 for six after the batsmen showed the patience and authority that others were missing.
However, things changed dramatically in the third session as Bangladesh adopted an over-aggressive approach which backfired and cost them their last four wickets for just 15 runs.
Liton, on 71, went for a paddle sweep and only managed to get an inside edge that ricocheted off his back leg and into the slip fielder's hand, giving Cornwall his fourth wicket. Miraz followed soon after, departing for 57 after handing a simple catch to cover off the bowling of Gabriel following a verbal battle with the pacer.
Cornwall then scalped Nayeem to register his fifer and ended up with figures of five for 74 from 32 overs.
Comments