06 June 2004	Sunday	17 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

KINGSTON, June 5: West Indies captain Brian Lara, with his job on the line, was left frustrated here as the Bangladesh lower order rallied to dull the home team's attack to recover from 152 for seven to 284 all out in the early overs of the second day's play in the second and final Test at Sabina Park on Saturday.

Lara, who has said he would resign the captaincy should his young side fail to beat the tourists in this match, watched on as the tourists made a splendid recovery late on Friday.

While the opposition provided headaches for the 35-year-old skipper, the pitch would have been as much concern.

It was significantly faster and bouncier than the dead surface that produced a draw in the opening match in St Lucia's series opener. But it was still perfect for batting and the Bangladeshis, who won the toss and batted, would have been disappointed not to have made more significant strides in their first innings.

Many of the batsmen wasted good starts and off-spinner Omari Banks was rewarded with career-best figures of four for 80 off 29 overs.

But even after Bangladeshis early wastefulness, first Test century-makers Khaled Mashud (39) and Mohammad Rafique (30) again led a spirited fight-back. Tapash Baisya, who hit an unbeaten 34 to complete West Indian misery on Friday, was last man out for a top-score 48.

In the first Test, Bangladesh also got their best efforts from their lower order.

Rajin Saleh and Mohammad Ashraful took lunch at 73 for three but wickets continued to fall at regular intervals after the break.

Ashraful (16) clipped a catch to mid-wicket off Banks.

When Manjural Islam Rana snicked to wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs off Tino Best, Bangladesh were limping at 97 for five.

But Mushfiqur Rahman and Rajin fashioned a restorative stand of 48 for the sixth wicket to stall the West Indians.

Banks finally broke through to restore his team's advantage.

Mushfiqur hit two fours in 22 off 59 balls before he was neatly stumped by Jacobs on the stroke of tea.

When Rajin pushed back a return catch just after the break, the West Indies sensed they would be batting by the end of the day.

But again, they could not get past the efficient Bangladesh Nos 8, 9, 10 and 11.

Mashud, who hit 103 not out in the second innings in St Lucia, played the anchor role in a stand of 40 with the aggressive Rafique.

Rafique, following 113 in the first innings of the first Test, smacked five boundaries before he provided Banks with his fourth wicket.

The left-hander lofted a catch to mid-off after scoring 30 off 42 balls.

Mashud and Baisya continued the defiance by adding 46 for the ninth wicket until the second new ball brought reward.

Edwards claimed Mashud to a sliced catch to point after the wicket-keeper stroked four fours off 81 balls in two hours.

The last pair Baisya and Tareq Aziz completed a disappointing end to the day for the West Indies by putting on another 26 runs without being separated.

The frustration was complete when first slip Chris Gayle floored Baisya's regulation edge off Best two overs before the end.

Scoreboard

BANGLADESH (1st Innings, overnight 264-9):

Hannan Sarkar lbw b Collins 0

Javed Omar c Jacobs b Edwards 20

Habibul Bashar c Banks b Collins 20

Rajin Saleh c and b Banks 47

Mohammad Ashraful c Sarwan b Banks 16

Manjural Islam c Jacobs b Best 7

Mushfiqur Rahman st Jacobs b Banks 22

Khaled Mashud c Banks b Edwards 39

Mohammad Rafique c Collins b Banks 30

Tapash Baisya c D.S. Smith b Collins 48

Tareq Aziz not out 10

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-7, W-2, NB-12) 25

TOTAL (all out, 95 overs) 284

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-37, 3-54, 4-88, 5-97, 6-145, 7-152, 8-192, 9-238.

BOWLING: Collins 19-2-64-3 (3nb); Edwards 20-5-66-2 (7nb, 1w); Best 20-4-53-1 (2nb, 1w); Banks 31-5-87-4; Sarwan 2-2-0-0; D.R. Smith 3-1-3-0.

WEST INDIES: C.H. Gayle, D.S. Smith, R.R. Sarwan, B.C. Lara, S. Chanderpaul, D.R. Smith, R.D. Jacobs, O.A.C. Banks, T.L. Best, P.T. Collins, F.H. Edwards.-Agencies