Tigers staring at defeat in second Test

The Bangladesh batters put up yet another listless batting show to put the side in a position of embarrassing defeat in the second and final Test despite a stellar effort of pace bowler Syed Khaled Ahmed at Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia on Sunday.

The visitors however reached 132-6 at stumps on day three, still trailing by 42 runs to make West Indies batting for the second time. They got the blessings of rain which disrupted the proceedings of day three quite several times and surely prevented them from tasting defeat inside three days, given the way the batters threw away their wicket, reports BSS.

Khaled claimed 5-106, his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket but West Indies still ended up with 408 before being all out in the first innings. Kyle Mayers led the charge with a scintillating 146 as the Caribbean side finally took a 174-run lead.

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite was the other notable scorer with 51 while his fellow opener John Campbell made 45. Jermain Blackwood added 40.

Mayers put on two big partnerships to help the side rally towards a big total after West Indies were reduced to 132-4.

He firstly put on 116-run partnership with Jermaine Blackwood for the fifth wicket stand and later added another 96-run with Joshua Da Silva who contributed 29.

Khaled broke the resistance of Mayers, removing him when he was guiding the lower order astutely. He then took the wicket of Alzzari Joseph and Jayden Seals to complete his maiden five-wicket haul. Offspinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz snared 3-91 and Shoriful Islam picked up 2-76.

The pitch looked absolutely good to bat on but Bangladesh batters faltered again in familiar manner. Senior most batter Tamim Iqbal led the listless batting show, being out trying to chase a wide delivery -the dismissal was the carbon copy of his first innings dismissal.

The way the senior batter threw away his wicket for the second consecutive time in the match left everyone in shocked state and even the commentators mentioned the dismissal as utmost disappointing.

Kemar Roach was his nemesis again. However when Roach got the wicket of Tamim due to the fault of the batter, he produced two beautiful deliveries to get the better of Mahmudul Hasan Joy (13) and Anamul Haque Bijoy (4) to leave Bangladesh at 32-3.

In form Liton Das looked set to take the side bail out of danger before Jayden Seals trapped him leg-before for 19 as Bangladesh were reduced to 57-4.

Najmul Hossain Shanto and captain Shakib Al Hasan took the side past 100 and things looked good for Bangladesh.

But both of the set batters then paid the price of their impatient shot as Bangladesh lost both of them just before the stumps to pacer Alzzari Joseph.

Shanto failed to show his foot movement against a moving delivery and edged it to wicket-keeper after scoring 42 while Shakib also went after Joseph without any foot movement to give his wicket on 16.

Before the bails were drawn, Nurul Hasan Sohan was batting on 16 with Mehidy Hasan, who is yet to score after facing 13 balls. Roach ended the day with 3-32 while Jospeh had figures of 2-31.