Bangladesh ahead as rain plays spoil sport

By pratik
for Cricketain.com

Published: July 20, 2009

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Rahul Bajaj

Skipper Shakib Al Hasan led from the front as Bangladesh reduced West Indies to 192 for 8 at the end of Day 3 of the second and final test match of the series. Although rain washed away a sizeable chunk of the day’s play but Bangladesh still managed to tighten the noose on the West Indies batsmen with only David Bernard putting up some resistance with an unbeaten knock of 61.

The Bangladesh spinners continued to fox the West Indies batsmen and the home team could only manage to extend their lead to 197 by the end of the third day at the Queens Park stadium.

On a day when rain washed away the entire evening session apart from an half hour stoppage before lunch and the afternoon session also started one and 10 minutes late, the Bangladesh spinners took their team one step closer to their dream of winning their first ever test series.

Shakib Al Hasan was the pick of the bowlers for Bangladesh with figures of 4 wickets for 61 runs in 22 overs. His fellow left arm spinner Enamul Haque Jr. has taken 2 wickets for 42 runs from 15 overs.

Shakib made the breakthrough early on the third day after West Indies continued from their overnight score of 56 for 1. Shakib remover Omar Phillips as the left hander was caught at deep square leg for 29. Just four overs later, Shakib got the wicket of Ryan Hinds as he was caught at leg slip for 2.

Mahmudullah who has been the most successful bowler for Bangladesh in the series then removed the West Indies skipper Floyd Reifer for 3. Reifer, who struggled throughout his innings, would consider himself a bit unlucky to be given lbw as the replays suggested that the ball may have missed the off stump.

95 for 4 became 110 for 5 when Enamul Haque Jr trapped Travis Dowlin lbw for 49 to another debatable decision. Darren Sammy and David Bernard then put together a useful partnership of 56 runs before Sammy was caught at mid-wicket by Raqibul of Haque for 22. That triggered another mini collapse for the West Indies with the hosts losing 3 wickets for just 21 runs in 43 balls.

Shakib first had Walton caught as slip for just 1 and then Shahadat Hossain came back for second spell to remove Ryan Austin for 3.

In the meantime, Bernard kept going strong from one end as he saw wickets fall regularly on the other. He reached his 3rd fifty in the series. His fifty coming of just 56 balls as he swung an Enamul Haque delivery over mid-wicket for the sixth four of his innings. He was unbeaten on 61 of 71 balls when rain stopped play.

The entire final session was washed away by rain as West Indies were at 192 for 8 leading Bangladesh by 197 runs with 2 days to play.

Bangladesh leads the 2 test series 1-0 after they won the opening test in St.Vincent by 95 runs. The visitors just need a draw to clinch their first ever test series victory.

Scores:

West Indies 237 and 192/8 (Bernard 61*, Best 4*, Shakib 4-61) leads Bangladesh 232 (Rahim 48, Raqibul 44, Roach 6-48) by 197 runs.

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