The pace bowling of young Nahid Rana as well as some brave, aggressive batting have put Bangladesh in a strong position at stumps on day three of the second Test against the West Indies at Sabina Park on Monday.
Sunny skies greeted the West Indian batsmen and Bangladeshi fielders on Monday as the hosts carried on their first innings from their overnight 70-1 off 37 overs, replying to Bangladesh’s 164 all out off 71.5 overs on day two.
Captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Keacy Carty were the batsmen at the crease on 33 and 19, respectively, looking to kick on to put the West Indies in position to get a big lead on the tourists.
The pair put on a further 15 runs in five overs and three balls before Brathwaite became Rana’s first victim of the day and second of the innings for a 129-ball 39.
Fifteen balls later, Rana, who bowled at speeds north of 145 pm/h consistently throughout the West Indies innings, struck evvel again, this time getting Kavem Hodge to edge a ball through to wicket-keeper Litton Das for just three leaving the West Indies 94-3.
It was then time for Taskin Ahmed to get into the action, knocking over Alick Athanaze for just two with one ball left in the 48th over to leave the hosts 100-4.
Centurion from the first Test, Justin Greaves, was next to the crease hoping for a repeat of his exploits in the first innings of the first Test in Antigua last week.
Sadly for the West Indian supporters, that wasn’t the case, however, as Greaves played around a straight ball from Taijul Islam to be dismissed for the same score as Athanaze, leaving the West Indies 105-5 in the 51st over.
Joshua Da Silva’s poor run of form with the bat continued as he was next to go for just five in the 54th over with the wickets of Carty (40), Alzarri Joseph (7), and Shamar Joseph (6) falling soon after to leave the West Indies 136-9 in the 64th over.
It was then Rana’s chance to complete a maiden Test five-wicket haul bowling to elder statesman Kemar Roach.
After hitting him on the shoulder a couple times, leaving him unable to take up his usual role of bowling the new ball for the hosts, Rana got Roach trapped in front with a full, straight one to complete his milestone, finishing with 5-61 off 18 overs.
Hasan Mahmud took 2-19 off 11 overs in support of the speedster from Chapai Nawabgonj.
Leading by 18, Bangladesh second innings got off to the worst possible start when Jayden Seales dismissed Mahmudul Hasan Joy for a duck in the first over.
First innings half-centurion Shadman Islam and Shahadat Hossain attempted a repair job, putting on 47 for the second wicket before the latter went for a 26-ball 28, going for one big shot too many and ending up caught at mid off by Seales off the bowling of Alzarri Joseph.
The next partnership was the one that really had the West Indies nervous as Islam and captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz put on 70 in just 11.5 overs for the third wicket.
That partnership ended when Shamar Joseph had Islam caught behind, four runs short of his second fifty of the contest while Miraz went soon after, also caught behind off Joseph for 42 off 39 balls to leave Bangladesh 132-4 in the 26th over.
Litton Das and Jaker Ali then provided some more valuable runs for the tourists, putting on 41 in 8.5 overs before Justin Greaves removed Das with a brilliant off cutter for 25 off 34 balls.
Ali (29*) and Taijul Islam (9*) were the batsmen at the crease at stumps as Bangladesh reached 193-5 off 41.4 overs, leading by 211 runs.
Full Scores:
Bangladesh 164 off 71.5 overs (Shadman Islam 64, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 36, Jayden Seales 4-5, Shamar Joseph 3-49, Kemar Roach 2-45) & 193-5 off 41.4 overs (Shadman Islam 46, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 42, Shamar Joseph 2-70)
West Indies 146 off 65 overs (Keacy Carty 40, Kraigg Brathwaite 39, Nahid Rana 5-61, Hasan Mahmud 2-19).