WI vs Bangladesh 1st Test: Host pacers have Shakib Al Hasan & Co on the mat
Bangladesh got off to an inauspicious start in the opening Test against West Indies at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, earning the dubious distinction of collecting six ducks as the hosts bundled them out for 103 in just 32.5 overs on Friday (June 17). Shakib Al Hasan’s team could not respond in the batting department as Alzarri Joseph and Jaden Seals took three wickets each.
With less than a season and a half, Bangladesh avoided a fourth double-digit score in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle, unable to deal with West Indies’ fast bowling artillery. The hosts will start the second day on 95/2, just eight runs away from Bangladesh’s first innings total.
With six ducks in their innings, Bangladesh now have three dreaded half-dozen knots from seven Test innings as they failed to negotiate opposition new ball threats. Mahmudul Hasan Joy falls while pokes Kemar Roach off the first ball, Najmul Hossain Shanto runs without a seaming delivery in the next over.
Mominul Haque’s dreadful run continued, reaching second slip, while Nurul Hasan was dismissed lbw for not offering a shot. Mustafizur Rahman and Khalid Ahmed also failed to add to the tally.
Not an ideal start for the Tigers! Roach started the Windies by taking 2 of the first 3 wickets.
Bangladesh: 45/6
Can #Bangladesh fight back?
Watch @BCBtigers tour of @windiescricket LIVE exclusively on #FanCode https://t.co/zxlkDemNa0#WIvBAN pic.twitter.com/lgHM0K0yju.
— fancode (@FanCode) June 16, 2022
Got out within 33 overs, Fall joins four other occasions to have been out in a worrying trend within two seasons during the current World Test Championship cycle. Tamim Iqbal (29) was probably unlucky as his dismissal fell down the leg-side, and Shakib Al Hasan (51) came undone on the attack only with partners running out.
West Indies’ all-round pace attack, on the other hand, showed no respite, hampering the tourists with a strong collective performance and justifying the decision to bowl first. Jaden Seals and Alzarri Joseph took three wickets each, with Kemar Roach and Kyle Meyers picking up a pair to get an early break in the pavilion.
Seals took the pressure off claiming a third scalp and Meyers’ nagging line put Bangladesh in a corner at 45/6. Joseph and Seals returned to clean up the tail. Brathwaite (4785) is making 5000 Test runs for the team and will become the 13th West Indies player to reach the milestone.
A clean sweep of the two-Test series would also push West Indies’ win percentage to 50 per cent, and would be a considerable distance away from India (3rd, 58.33 per cent), Sri Lanka (4th, 55.56 per cent) and Pakistan. (5th, 52.38 percent). A spot in the 2023 WTC would be unlikely, as their final series is away from South Africa and Australia, although the current outfit should raise more questions than West Indies sides that have toured both countries in recent times.
Brief Scores: Bangladesh 1st Innings 103 in 32.5 overs (Tamim Iqbal 29, Shakib Al Hasan 51; Zayden Seals 3/33, Alzarri Joseph 3/33) vs West Indies 1st Innings 95/2 in 48 overs (Craig Brathwaite 42 not out, John Campbell 24)
(with IANS inputs)