Tea Bangladesh 25 for 1 (Tamim 23*, Anamul 1*) trail West Indies 380 (Chanderpaul 84*, Johnson 66, Al-Amin 3-80) by 355 runs
Bangladesh lost Shamsur Rahman in a 12-over stint before tea, after bowling West Indies out for 380 in the first innings. They ended the session 25 for 1, and it could have easily been 25 for 2.
Shannon Gabriel snapped a yorker at Tamim Iqbal and hit the batsman on his front boot. Umpire Richard Illingworth was unmoved, and Denesh Ramdin immediately called for a review. Replays showed the ball snuck under Tamim’s bat as he tumbled over and Hawkeye saved him, suggesting the ball pitched a couple of centimeters, no more, outside the line of leg stump.
Tamim struck two boundaries in his 23, one carved between gully and point and the second driven handsomely through the covers. Anamul Haque had only just opened his account.
Bangladesh’s opening partnership lasted longer than it did in either innings of the first Test. But it had only just survived into a sixth over when Shamsur tickled Kemar Roach down the leg side, and the catch was smartly taken by Denesh Ramdin, who dived full-length to his left.
Earlier, Shivnarine Chanderpaul remained stranded on 84 as West Indies were bowled out an hour into the second session. He had made an unbeaten 85 in the first innings of the first Test, but his innings here in St. Lucia was of higher value, coming as it did in more difficult conditions, when he had to steer his team out of a sticky situation.
When he joined Darren Bravo late on the first day, the fourth-wicket pair had to negotiate a rejuvenated Bangladesh bowling attack. They guided West Indies to safety but Bravo didn’t last too long in today’s morning session, losing his patience after Robiul Islam and Al-Amin Hossain had strung together seven parsimonious overs. In the first six overs of the day, West Indies scored only two runs, both courtesy no-balls.
Bravo was drawn into following a Robiul outswinger, edging to the wicketkeeper for 46. It triggered a collapse and three more wickets – those of Jermaine Blackwood, Ramdin and Roach – fell in the next 21 balls. Al-Amin was on a hat-trick at one stage, after he had made the ball straighten after pitching to find the edges of Blackwood, caught at first slip, and Ramdin, caught behind.
West Indies were 269 for 7, and Chanderpaul only had the tail for company. He was helped by Jerome Taylor at that point, the No. 9 hammering 40 off 31 balls with five fours and two sixes. The 41 minutes of mayhem threw Bangladesh off-kilter, evidenced by Mominul Haque dropping Taylor at cover, when he was on 18. And even after Taijul Islam broke the 54-run eighth wicket stand, Bangladesh’s wait wasn’t over.
Sulieman Benn made 25 and added 52 with Chanderpaul for the ninth wicket, before he was caught at fine leg off Al-Amin. The innings ended soon after, when Robiul bowled Shannon Gabriel in the 124th over.
Al-Amin finished with three wickets while Shafiul, Robiul and the expensive Taijul picked up two each. With the wicket easing up a little, the Bangladesh bowlers will appreciate it if the batsmen allow them to relax in the dressing room at least till the end of the day’s play.
Source: CricInfo
