NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – Seamer Kemar Roach’s sensational five-wicket haul inside the first hour sent Bangladesh crashing to the lowest total in Tests in nearly half a century, as West Indies took a stranglehold on the opening Test at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground here yesterday.
Opting to bowl first on a grassy strip on the opening day, the Windies crushed the tourists for an embarrassing 43 all out – their lowest-ever Test total and second shortest first innings in Test history.
They were tottering on 18 for five inside the first hour as Roach, extracting movement and bounce from a helpful pitch, rattled the Bangladesh top order to finish with extraordinary figures of 5-1-8-5.
Miguel Cummins grabbed three for 11 from four overs and fellow fast-medium bowler West Indies captain Jason Holder snared two for 10 from 4.4 overs to complete the destruction of the Bangladeshi innings inside the 19th over.
Opener Liton Das finished with the top score of 25 before he was sixth out, becoming Cummins’s first wicket of the morning.
Opener Liton Das finished with the top score of 25 before he was sixth out, becoming Cummins’s first wicket of the morning.
Opener Kraigg Brathwaite then led a strong West Indies batting reply, stroking an unbeaten 88 as the hosts cruised to the close on 201 for two – already a lead of 158 runs heading into day two of the contest.
Left-handed partner Devon Smith carved out his second half-century in seven innings since his return with 58 while Kieran Powell chipped in with a fluent 48.
There was little sign of the demolition to come even though openers Liton Das and Tamim Iqbal (4) played and missed in a couple of occasions against the new ball pair of Roach and Shannon Gabriel.
However, the breakthrough came when when Roach squared up the experienced left-handed Tamim and had him caught behind for four off the final ball of his third over.
In his next over, Roach had Mominul Haque caught at gully for one from a flat-footed 
drive. He then grabbed for his right hamstring, and subsequently required on-field attention.
Despite his discomfort, the 30-year-old Roach’s fifth over was his most devastating, as he grabbed three wickets without conceding a run in the space of four deliveries.
First, he removed immediate past captain Mushfiqur Rahim lbw playing forward, with a recourse to DRS failing to save the right-hander.
Mushfiqur’s successor Shakib-Al-Hasan was then caught at third slip from a loose drive, also without scoring, before another former captain Mahmudullah was snared behind by wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich off the first ball he faced, nibbling outside off.
Roach then limped off and Holder brought himself and Cummins into the attack, quickly ensuring there was no comeback story for the tourists.
Cummins had Das caught at square cover before Nurul Hasan edged the last ball of the over to Holder at third slip for four.
In his next over, Cummins removed Mehidy Hasan to a catch at second slip by Smith and Holder polished off the tail when he got Kamrul Islam caught behind for a ‘duck’ and bowled debutant Abu Jayed for two.
On nine without loss at lunch, West Indies flourished after the break as Brathwaite and Smith strengthened their side’s advantage with an opening stand of 113.
Brathwaite has so far struck eight fours off 204 deliveries while Smith has faced 123 balls and counted seven fours.
Unbeaten on 48 at tea, Smith reached his eighth Test half-century in the second over following the break with a single to backward point off off-spinner Mehidy Hasan.
However, he survived only six overs more before edging a slash at Abu Jayed and edging a catch behind, giving the 24-year-old pacer his first Test wicket.
Not for the first time, the left-handed Powell played with authority in an attractive innings to put on 81 for the second wicket with Brathwaite.
He had faced 65 balls and struck seven fours when yet again, he fell frustrating shortly of a half-century, edging a prod at off-spinner Mahmudullah to slip, about 20 minutes before the close.
