KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CMC – Half-centuries from plucky skipper Mushfiqur Rahim and all-rounder Mahmudullah, coupled with a healthy dose of mediocrity from West Indies, gave Bangladesh a stay of execution on the penultimate day of the opening Test here yesterday.
Facing a comprehensive defeat after stumbling to 110 for four at lunch, Mushfiqur stroked an unbeaten 70 while Mahmudullah gathered a courageous 66, as Bangladesh fought back gallantly to finish the day at Arnos Vale on 256 for five.
The pair added a precious 130 for the fifth wicket, a stand that was as much a result of the batsmen’s resilience as it was the Windies ineptitude.
And while the hosts remained on course for victory with the visitors still needing another 46 runs to avoid an innings defeat, their mis-steps allowed Bangladesh to take the game into the final day and devalue their dominance.
Left-handed opener Tamim Iqbal chipped in with an attacking 53 while Imrul Kayes hit 25, but seamer Kemar Roach (2-39) and left-arm spinner (2-44) struck at key moments to keep the innings unstable.
Bowled out on the stroke of the close on Sunday, Bangladesh found themselves at the crease again after West Indies enforced the follow on, and once again their start proved miserable.
Shamsur Rahman lasted all of eight deliveries before edging Roach behind for four in the fourth over of the day, for wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin to take a smart catch moving to his right.
Tottering at 11 for one, Bangladesh had the damage repaired by Tamim and Imrul Kayes, who hit 25, in a 70-run, second wicket stand. Tamim hammered four fours and three sixes off 107 balls while Imrul provided the perfect foil, batting an hour-and-a-half, facing 72 balls and cracking four fours.
Three of Imrul’s fours came in one over from Roach as the left-hander punished loose bowling with aggressive off-side strokes. However, his dismissal proved a soft one in the end, tamely patting part-time off-spinner Chris Gayle into Kirk Edwards’ hands at cover.
Tamim also played freely, twice driving seamer Jerome Taylor to the cover boundary off successive deliveries before clearing long-off with part-time off-spinner Jermaine Blackwood and then going over long-on for the maximum with Benn.
With lunch approaching, Benn struck two key blows, having Mominul Haque caught at the wicket for 12 with the score on 104 and then bowling Tamim with three runs added, as the batsman missed an attacking back foot stroke.
West Indies were then held up after lunch as Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah resisted stoutly and batted through the session, courtesy of poor work in the field.
Overall, Mushfiqur has so far faced 193 balls and counted eight fours while Mahmudullah spent just over 3-1/2 hours at the crease, faced 151 balls and cracked seven fours and a six.
Unbeaten on one at lunch, Mushfiqur had battled to ten about 40 minutes after the resumption when he nicked one from Roach to first slip where Gayle grassed the chance.
Mushfiqur was then given another reprieve on 25, slicing Taylor to gully where Darren Bravo dived to his right but failed to hang on.
Mahmudullah, on four at lunch, grew in confidence, twice pulling Taylor for boundaries in the same over before whipping Gayle to mid-wicket for four and clearing the ropes in the same area with the Jamaican a few overs later.
Bangladesh rallied to 184 for four at tea and afterward, both Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur completed well deserved half-centuries – both reaching their landmark with boundaries within an over of each other.
Mahmudullah was too a recipient of the Windies’ sloppiness when on 53, he skied a simple catch to cover off Gayle only for Edwards to unbelievably muff the opportunity.
Thankfully, Mahmudullah survived just 22 more deliveries before Roach removed him to a catch at the wicket with the second new ball, with the Windies running out of ideas.
