West Indies' wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs (centre) stumps Bangladesh's Mushfiqur Rahman off
the bowling of Omari Banks
during yesterday's first day
of the second Test at Sabina Park. Rahman made 22.
-Junior Dowie photo
Tony Becca, Contributing Editor
THE USUAL question before the start of a Test match is what would the captain who wins the toss do, and yesterday was no exception. There was one other question at Sabina Park yesterday, however.
Following his promise that he would relinquish the captaincy if the West Indies, given five full days of play, fail to win the match, the other question was this: did Brian Lara really mean it would he really walk away?
The consensus was yes. According to the fans, Lara would not have said it unless he meant it. Based on the action so far, however, it is possible, highly possibly, that no one will ever know.
At stumps on the first day of the second and final Test of the Cable & Wireless Series, Bangladesh, historically at their best in their first innings, were 264 for nine and apparently on the run.
Although cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties and surprising recoveries, with four days to come, the odds, barring rain, are in favour of victory for a West Indies team boasting batsmen like Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Christopher Gayle, Devon Smith and Dwayne Smith.
RECORD LOW
After winning the toss and bravely electing to bat on a pitch that was expected to assist fast bowlers the same pitch on which England's Steve Harmison demolished the West Indies for a record low 47 a few weeks ago, Bangladesh, up against a nicely balanced attack of three fast bowlers in left-hander Pedro Collins and right-handers Fidel Edwards and Tino Best and a specialist spin bowler in offspinner Omari Banks, were in trouble from the first ball of the match when they started at zero for one.
Thanks to a fighting second-wicket partnership of 37 between Javed Omar and captain Habibul Basher, however, Bangladesh staged a partial recovery to reach 37 for one, and after sliding to 97 for five, recovered nicely through a solid sixth-wicket stand of 48 between Rajin Saleh and Mushfiqur Rahman and some late defiance by Mohammad Rafique, 30, Khaled Mashud, 39, and Tapash Baisya, 36 not out, as the tourists posted 167 runs for the last four wickets.
FAILED
As he did in the first match at the Bangabandhu Stadium in Dhaka in 2002 in the first Test match between the two teams, and as he did in the first Test at the Beausejour Stadium in St, Lucia a week ago, Collins, opening the bowling from the north, removed Hannan Sarkar first ball the right-hander, bowled on the first occasion, leg before wicket on the second, going back and across and trapped leg before wicket as he once again failed to offer a stroke to a well-pitched delivery.
From there on, the West Indies were on the hunt, and despite the efforts of Omar and Basher, Saleh and Rahman, and then Rafique, Mashud and Baiysa, the Bangladesh firsts innings, dominated by Banks, may well have been over but for the good fortune that allowed their batsmen to escape when a few edges dropped short of slips and a few mistimed drives landed safely in the covers.
Banks, spinning, flighting and varying his offbreaks on a pitch better suited for fast bowlers, returned figures of four wickets for 80 runs off 29 overs.
The first of the four was Mohammad Ashraful for 16 at 88 for four the batsman, going forward and attempting to drive, tapping a catch to Ramnaresh Sarwan at mid-wicket. After Best had made it 97 for five when he removed Mohammad Islam, the second was Rahman beaten through the air and stumped by Ridley Jacobs for 22 at 145 for six; the third was Saleh beaten through the air and going bowled and caught for 47 at 152 for seven; and the fourth was Rafique driving a catch to Collins at mid-off and going away at 192 for eight with 29 overs to go.
The determined Bangladesh refused to surrender, however, and the West Indies had to call for the second new ball before getting rid of Mashud at 238 for nine the batsman driving at Edwards and slicing a catch to Banks at gully.
