Bangladesh, West Indies share honours on day 1 of second Test

Bangladesh recovered from a shaky start to deny West Indies taking the full control of the game after the day one of the second Test at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on Thursday.

The visitors ended the day on 223-5 but looked set to pile agony on Bangladeshi bowlers after their mediocre show in the first session.

At stumps, Nkrumah Bonner was batting on 74, hitting his second successive half-century. Along with him, wicket-keeper batsman Joshua Da Silva was on 22 after sharing a 45-run partnership in an unbroken sixth wicket stand.

Captain Kriagg Brathwaite made a crucial 47 while his fellow opener John Campbell contributed with 36.

Capitalizing on Bangladesh’s wayward bowling, West Indies started well as captain Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell added 66 runs for the opening stand after they decided to bat first.

Campbell cut off-spinner Mehidy Hasan past point for boundary to begin his scoring on 12th ball.

He then grew with strength to strength and dominated Bangladesh spinners who didn’t help their cause by bowling too short consistently.

Campbell also struck off-spinner Nayeem Hasan six over long on as West Indies appeared to be in complete control.

With West Indies scoring at apparent ease, Bangladesh got the vital breakthrough through left arm spinner Taijul Islam who trapped Campbell lbw after the batsman tried to play a sweep shot.

Campbell reviewed the decision immediately but it went in vain. His 68 ball-36 included five fours and one six.

West Indies went to lunch with 84-1 and hoped to build on that.

Just after lunch, Bangladesh broke through again, with Shayne Moseley dragging one delivery of pacer Abu Jayed Rahi on to his stumps for 7.

Soon after, Brathwaite squandered his good start, being dismissed by Soumya Sarkar for 47 as Bangladesh bowlers consistently hit the right spots.

Bangladesh then got the big breakthrough when Rahi removed first Test hero Kyle Mayers. Rahi swung one perfectly to baffle Mayers, who struck an epic 210 not out to help West Indies win the Test by three wickets, chasing a fearsome 395-run target. This time Mayers could make only 5.

Bonner who scored 86 and put on a match-changing 216-run partnership with Mayers in the first test then led the recovery with West Indies at troublesome 116-4.

He and Jermaine Blackwood shared 62-run for the fifth wicket stand before the latter was caught and bowled by Taijul Islam. Even though they formed a partnership, Bangladesh was able to slow down the scoring rate.

Bonner meantime brought his successive half-century, driving a Taijul Islam delivery to long off for a single off 98 balls.

But with the Bangladeshi bowlers consistently hitting the ball right areas, he opted to be defensive in approach, which paid off for him.

His 173-ball-knock included six boundaries.

Jayed and Taijul ended the day with two wickets each and Soumya Sarkar claimed the rest of the wicket.-BSS