2 weeks ago
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KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC):
LEFT-ARM SPINNER Taijul Islam once again highlighted West Indies’ vulnerability to spin, grabbing five wickets as Bangladesh registered a historic 101-run victory over the home side on the fourth day of the second Test at Sabina Park yesterday.
The Test victory was Bangladesh’s first since 2009 and tied the two-match series 1-1 to ensure that the West Indies would end the year without a Test series win.
While the fast bowlers did the damage in the West Indies’ first innings, it was the 32-year-old Taijul who created havoc this time around, finishing with 5-50 – his 14th five-wicket haul in Tests – as the home side was bundled out for 185 in pursuit of 287 for victory.
After being dismissed for 268 just before lunch, Bangladesh’s captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz surprisingly chose not to introduce first-innings destroyer Nahid Rana into the attack in the five overs before lunch, opting instead for pacers Hasan Mahmud and Taskin Ahmed.
West Indies openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Mikyle Louis navigated both of them without much alarm, racing to 23 without loss after four overs.
The decision to introduce Taijul into the attack in the final over before the break proved to be genius, as Louis’ attempt to dig out a quicker delivery directed at middle and leg stump resulted in the ball ricocheting onto his boot and into the air where Shahadat Hossain, who was fielding at short leg, jumped forward to take the catch.
After lunch, Brathwaite together with Keacy Carty kept the runs ticking.
Brathwaite was uncharacteristically aggressive, driving Mahmud through cover for four and then walking down the wicket to hit Taijul over long on for a rare six.
TOP OF THE BOWLING
But just as it appeared the two batsmen were getting on top of the bowling, Ahmed produced a gem of a delivery that beat Carty and brushed the outside of his bat on the way through to the wicketkeeper, to leave the score 57 for two.
Kavem Hodge and Brathwaite then added 35 runs in brisk time, before Brathwaite, who scored 43, was undone by a ripper of a delivery from Taijul that bounced and spun before hitting the outside edge of his bat and lobbed for Mahmudul Hasan Joy to take a good catch running from slip and diving to his right.
Alick Athanaze never seemed settled during his brief stay at the crease, and Taijul took full advantage of that, bowling the left-hander through the gate as he attempted an expansive drive through the offside, leaving the West Indies in trouble at 106 for four.
His dismissal brought Justin Greaves to the crease and along with Hodge, they took West Indies to the tea break at 133 for four.
The end came swiftly for the West Indies in the final session, with only Hodge, who duly completed his third Test half-century, putting up any resistance, as they lost their final six wickets for 52 runs.
Hodge was the first to go after scoring 55 from 75 balls when he played back to a full delivery from Taijul and was plumb lbw, Greaves was bowled for 20 by a delivery that kept low from Ahmed and Joshua DaSilva was trapped lbw by Taijul to make the score 164 for seven.
Hasan Mahmud then returned to clean up the tail, dismissing Alzarri Joseph and Kemar Roach, before Nana ended the match by bowling Shamar Joseph.
Earlier Jaker Ali hit a superb 91 before he was the last man out to ensure the West Indies would have to make a record-breaking chase if they were to claim the series.
Ali struck five sixes and eight fours off 106 balls before falling short of a well-deserved century.
English (US) ·