ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Fast bowlers Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales left the West Indies on the brink of victory at stumps on day four of the first test against Bangladesh at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.
Chasing an improbable 334 for victory, Bangladesh faltered at the close to 109 for 7 with Roach and Seales snaring three wickets apiece.
Bangladesh made a sporting declaration at the start of the day on their overnight score of 269 for 9 but surrendered a 181-run first-innings lead to the West Indies, with captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Mikyle Louis striding out to the crease.
The pair showed intent from the get-go and added 25 runs for the opening wicket before Louis edged to wicketkeeper Litton Das off Taskin Ahmed for 8.
Ten runs later, Keacy Carty was caught in the slips off Ahmed for 3. This was followed by the dismissal of skipper Brathwaite for 23, leaving the home team sliding at 39 for 3.
However, the innings was steadied by a 50-run fourth-wicket partnership between Kavem Hodge and Alick Athanaze.
Athanaze was particularly aggressive with seven fours in an entertaining knock of 42 from 63 balls. The left-hander played several eye-catching and exquisitely timed strokes, including a lofted extra-cover drive off the bowling of captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
Hodge at the other end was more sedate but still found time to play a cracking pull shot over mid-wicket off Hasan Mahmud.
As the home team tightened their grip on the encounter, the visitors found some inspiration to reduce the West Indies from 89 for 3 to 95 for 6.
Taskin Ahmed first took the edge of Hodge with a delivery that got some extra bounce off the surface for his 15, while Athanaze was undone by a quicker ball from Mehidy Hasan Miraz to be trapped in front for an innings top score of 42.
First-innings century maker Justin Greaves was undone by a delivery from Ahmed for 2.
Alzarri Joseph, with a lofted drive over mid-off, showed his desire to rescue the Caribbean men and, along with Joshua Da Silva, added quick runs before the latter was caught at point off the bowling of Taijul Islam for 22 at 124 for 7.
Joseph flayed his bat for 17 before he was caught attempting a sweep shot, and Ahmed registered a maiden five-wicket haul when he bowled Shamar Joseph for 4 at 151 for 9.
The regional team’s innings came to an end at 152 when Kemar Roach was caught brilliantly at mid-off by Hasan Miraz, enabling Ahmed to finish with 6 for 64.
By virtue of the healthy first-innings lead, Bangladesh were given 334 runs to win.
The fiery and hostile West Indies bowling was once again on show to unnerve the visitors, who found themselves disjointed and wobbling at 23 for 4.
The leader of the bowling group and the most experienced, Kemar Roach, showed his worth with three of those scalps.
Roach disturbed the stumps of Zakir Hasan in the opening over of the innings and watched on as Jayden Seales, with the help of Justin Greaves in the slip cordon, accounted for Mahmudul Hasan Joy.
A review initiated by Joshua Da Silva saw Shahadat Hossain departing the scene before Roach pulled off a spectacular diving catch off his own bowling to remove Mominul Haque.
The home team was now on the prowl for more wickets but had to wait another 32 balls to get the breakthrough when Litton Das pulled a short delivery straight to Alzarri Joseph at deep backward square.
Stand-in captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz survived a lengthy spell of short-pitched bowling in his innings top score of 45 and shared in a 43-run sixth-wicket stand with Jaker Ali.
However, his resistance was broken by a magnificent one-handed catch by wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva, who had to dive meters to his right to pluck the ball in front of first slip.
Jayden Seales claimed his second wicket and followed up with his third an over later when he rocked back the middle stump of Taijul Islam at 108 for 7.
Bad light for consecutive days forced an early end to play and allowed the visitors to drag their way into the fifth and final day.
Kemar Roach finished the day with 3 for 20, while Seales supported with 3 for 31 and Shamar Joseph 1 for 22.
Roach says the skillset of the bowling attack was key to the display on the fourth day.
“The communication was good. Once we started well with the ball and got a couple of wickets at the front, we knew we would be in the game for the rest of the day, so I think we all expressed ourselves well today.”
Roach added that the plans were very clear to cause problems to the visitors’ batting unit.
“Just make it as tough for them as possible, control the run rate, and hit the areas and challenge the batsmen, was a simple plan, and I think we did that exceptionally.”
The 36-year-old now has 54 test wickets at the venue, the most by any bowler, and expressed his love for the ground.
“I enjoy it here, man. Probably they should give me a passport by now, but I am happy. It’s an open field, and the ball does a lot here, more than in any other country in the Caribbean, and I just try to express myself and use my skills. I am pretty happy bowling in Antigua. Love it here.”
Play resumes at 10:00 AM local time on Tuesday, day five.
