GROS ISLET (St Lucia): Bangladesh’s seamers ripped through the West Indies middle-order but an unbeaten 69 from Shivnarine Chanderpaul was holding the innings together at 341-8 at lunch on the second day of the second and final Test here on Sunday.

Chanderpaul, who has occupied the crease for more than three-and-a-half hours, was due to resume in the afternoon session in partnership with Sulieman Benn.

Al-Amin Hossain claimed two wickets in two balls after Robiul Islam separated the fourth-wicket pair of Chanderpaul and Darren Bravo, their stand being worth 66 runs when Bravo was caught at the wicket driving loosely after 45 minutes’ play.

When Shafiul Islam then had Kemar Roach taken behind by Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, the West Indies had lost three wickets for one run in slipping to 269-7.

Chanderpaul continued to soldier along at his very serene pace to his 65th Test half-century, being overshadowed by the big-hitting Jerome Taylor who blazed 40 in a 54-run eighth-wicket stand before finding Mahmudullah on the long-on boundary off the bowling of left-arm spinner Taijul Islam.

Taylor should have departed on 18 but Mominul Haque dropped a skier at cover when the fast bowler sliced another attempted heave off Shafiul Islam.

Bangladesh looked much more purposeful with the ball on the second morning under overcast skies, maintaining a tight, full line that offered few liberties to the overnight pair of Chanderpaul and Bravo.

Al-Amin, whose bowling action was reported during the first Test in St Vincent, was the most impressive of all.

Following Robiul’s dismissal of Bravo, he induced an edge from Jermaine Blackwood for Anamul Haque to take the catch at first slip and then West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin caught behind first ball to spark celebrations among the Bangladeshis.

On Saturday’s opening day West Indies made a strong start to their 500th Test match, with a century stand from openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Leon Johnson setting them on the way to 246-3.

A small crowd saw the tourists fail to take advantage of promising conditions for bowling after they won the toss and put West Indies in to bat.

Guyanese left-hander Johnson, on his Test debut, was part of a solid start along with Brathwaite, fresh from his maiden double century in the first Test victory.

Brathwaite made 63 from 150 balls before he was removed after lunch when he slashed a long hop from Shafiul to Taijul at point with West Indies on 143.

Two runs later and Bangladesh had their second breakthrough — Johnson trapped leg before by Taijul.

Kirk Edwards made 16 before he drove Mahmudullah straight to Shamsur Rahman at cover but Bravo and Chanderpaul saw the hosts safely to the close.

Scoreboard

WEST INDIES (1st Innings, overnight 246-3):

K.C. Brathwaite c Taijul b Shafiul 63 L.R. Johnson lbw b Taijul 66 K.A. Edwards c Shamsur b Mahmudullah 16 D.M. Bravo c Mushfiqur b Robiul 46 S. Chanderpaul not out 69 J. Blackwood c Anamul b Al-Amin 8 D. Ramdin c Mushfiqur b Al-Amin 0 K.A.J. Roach c Mushfiqur b Shafiul 0 J.E. Taylor c Mahmudullah b Taijul 40 S.J. Benn not out 5

EXTRAS (B-8, LB-4, W-10, NB-6) 28

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 113 overs) 341

FALL OF WKTS: 1-143, 2-145), 3-185, 4-251, 5-268, 6-268, 7-269, 8-323.

TO BAT: S.T. Gabriel.

BOWLING (to-date): Al-Amin Hossain 26-6-62-2 (1w); Shafiul Islam 26-7-79-2 (2w); Robiul Islam 24-6-62-1 (6nb, 3w); Taijul Islam 22-4-89-2; Mohammad Mahmudullah 13-2-30-1; Nasir Hossain 2-0-7-0.

BANGLADESH: Tamim Iqbal, Shamsur Rahman, Anamul Haque, Mominul Haque, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nasir Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Taijul Islam, Robiul Islam, Al-Amin Hossain.

UMPIRES: S.J. Davis (Australia) and R.K. Illingworth (England).

TV UMPIRE: M. Erasmus (South Africa).

MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Mahanama (Sri Lanka).

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2014