Bangladesh Vs West Indies Second Test Match Played at SBNCS, Dhaka From 30 November – 4 December 2018
Bangladesh 508 All Out ( Mahmudullah Riad 136, Shakib Al Hasan 80, Shadman Islam 76Lion K Das 54 ,Mominul Haq 29, Mohammd Mithun 29 ,Taijul Islam 26 , KC Braithwaite 2/57, KAJ Roach 2/61, JA Warrican 2/91 D Bishoo 2/109 ) West Indies 75/5 (SO Hetmeyer 32* , SO Dorwich 17* , Mehedy Miraj 3/36 , Shakib 2/15)
Shakib-led Team tigers with taste of blood are now on hunting mission. Having piled up a massive 508 in the first innings Bangladesh reduced West Indies to 75/5 at stumps of day two. Business as usual should get them a test and series win, yet another comprehensive series white wash. On a wicket gripping and turning and having uneven bounce even the best batting unit would struggle against the high quality four prong Bangladesh spin attack. West Indies present team unfortunately does not possess quality batsman to guts out. The inevitable reality is Bangladesh achieving yet another win may be by an innings and may happen by stumps of day three.
Mind you the same team in not too distant past crushed Bangladesh to test series white wash when Bangladesh toured the Caribbean islands. Circumstances alter cases. Bangladesh on fast bouncy wickets looked pretty ordinary and meekly surrendered failing reaching even 200 in any of the four innings of two test .That same West Indies team against almost the same opposition is looking very ordinary on a spinning track.
Bangladesh started day two with a very positive intent with captain Shakib showing the way. After playing some delightful strokes he got out playing one stroke too many at 80. The game changing 6th wicket partnership produced 111 runs Mahmudullah on the other end was picture perfect anchoring the innings. Liton in his new role at number 8 blasted the attack picking where Shakib left. He raced to yet another confidence boosting 54. Mahmudullah –Liton partnership added very useful 92 at almost run a ball. Miraj (16), Taijul (29) and Naeem (12*) all contributed. Mahmudullah mortared alone providing the back bone of the massive 508 first innings with a brilliant 136. It was his second successive century at SBNCS and third over all. It was great seeing a committed quality Bangladesh finding his sublime touch at a very important stage of Bangladesh cricket.
508 is without any semblance of doubt is a match winning score on a difficult wicket. Tired West Indies immediately ran into hot waters while coming to bat. Super Shakib and majestic Miraj were on the hunt right from the start. Shakib dispatched off opposition captain Braithwaite n the very first over with a full arm delivery. Miraj removed Powell with a straighter delivery that fooled him. Hope, Abris and Chase departed one after another all clean bowled. By 12th over West Indies was reduced to 29/5. Taijul and Naeem two other probing spinners did not require to play their part much so far. They will come strongly on day three along side Shakib and Miraj. Had not Hetmeyer and Darwich played with their skin out West Indies would have deepened further. Fighting back to the wall they put together an unbroken 46 runs sixth wicket stand.
Naeem threatened breaking it. Hetmeyer survived only just on DRS. It is now a real uphill task with very limited resources for the visitors to try and avoid a very humiliating test and series white wash. There must not be any excuse as all Bangladeshi batsmen batting on the same surface played with patience and concentration. Some lost concentration early and gifted wickets. But there had been no single digit contribution. Whereas of the 7 West Indies batsmen only three barely reached double digit, two scored ducks. In test cricket a great team has players who can adjust on any condition and on any wicket. Hope Bangladesh learns lessons and also develops skills for adjusting much better on fast bouncy seaming wickets.
Tigers have taste of blood. Bangladeshis will be gathering in numbers today to cheer their idols. West Indies is looking down the barrel. What a sweet series white wash it would be when Bangladesh gets up to it. When it happens it will be a complete team performance of team tigers in test series. In professional sports there is nothing called taking revenge. But whitewashing a team with supreme ease which whitewashed them in not too distant past will be very satisfying for team tigers.
BDST: 1130 hrs, Dec 2, 2018
RS
