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DHAKA: Bangladesh spinners took a firm grip on the second Test against West Indies after Mahmudullah struck a career best 136 to guide the hosts to a commanding 508 in the first innings in Dhaka on Saturday.
Mehidy Hasan and Shakib Al Hasan shared five wickets between them as West Indies were reduced to 75-5 at stumps on the second day, trailing the hosts by 433 runs in the first innings at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
All five West Indies batsmen were clean bowled — only the third time in cricket history and the first time by spinners as Mehidy finished with 3-36 and Shakib claimed 2-15.
Shakib struck in the very first over when he flummoxed West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite with inward delivery and Kieran Powell (4), Sunil Ambris (7), Roston Chase (0) and Shai Hope (10) followed him in quick succession.
Shimron Hetmyer (32 not out) and Shane Dowrich (17 not out) stemmed the rot to survive the day.
Hetmyer was given out off rookie spinner Nayeem Hasan on 10, but the decision was overturned by television replay.
The West Indies innings were in complete contrast to those of Bangladesh, which saw Shakib (80), Shadman Islam (76) and Liton Das (54) making useful contribution along with Mahmudullah.
Resuming on 259-5, Bangladesh’s innings revolved around Mahmudullah, who faced 242 balls and struck 10 fours in his third Test century, on the second day.
Mahmudullah helped Bangladesh build on their overnight score putting on a 111-run partnership with Shakib Al Hasan for the sixth wicket, 92-run with Liton Das for the seventh wicket, and a 56-run with Taijul Islam (36) for the ninth wicket.
Shakib, who resumed on 55 overnight, added 25 to his overnight score before he gave a catch to Hope at gully off fast bowler Kemar Roach.
Mahmudullah and Liton maintained the pressure, helping the home side add 128 runs in 25 overs of the morning session.
Liton — who was making a comeback to the side after being dropped in the first Test — hit Chase a six and a four in one over to bring a quickfire fifty off just 50 balls.
Liton, who struck eight fours and a six in his fourth Test fifty, fell after the lunch break when he attempted a reverse sweep off Brathwaite and missed the line to get bowled.
Jomel Warrican dismissed next batsman Mehidy Hasan, but Taijul and Mahmudullah frustrated West Indies to take their score close to 500-run mark.
Mahmudullah faced 29 balls in nervous nineties before he cut Chase for four to bring his hundred.
Warrican bowled Mahmudullah to wrap-up the Bangladesh innings and finish with 2-91, while Roach, Devendra Bishoo and Brathwaite also claimed two wickets each.
Bangladesh are leading the two-Test series 1-0 thanks to their 64-run win in the first Test in Chittagong.
Scoreboard
BANGLADESH (1st Innings, overnight 259-5):
Shadman Islam lbw b Bishoo 76
Soumya Sarkar c Hope b Chase 19
Mominul Haque c Chase b Roach 29
Mohammad Mithun b Bishoo 29
Shakib Al Hasan c Hope b Roach 80
Mushfiqur Rahim b Lewis 14
Mahmudullah b Warrican 136
Liton Das b Brathwaite 54
Mehidy Hasan c Dowrich b Warrican 18
Taijul Islam c Dowrich b Brathwaite 26
Nayeem Hasan not out 12
EXTRAS (B-2, LB-8, W-1, NB-4) 15
TOTAL (all out, 154 overs) 508
FALL OF WKTS: 1-42, 2-87, 3-151, 4-161, 5-190, 6-301, 7-393, 8-416, 9-472.
BOWLING: Roach 25-4-61-2 (1nb); Lewis 20-2-69-1 (1w); Chase 28-0-111-1; Warrican 38-5-91-2; Bishoo 28-1-109-2 (3nb); Brathwaite 15-0-57-2.
WEST INDIES (1st Innings):
K.C. Brathwaite b Shakib 0
K.O.A. Powell b Mehidy 4
S.D. Hope b Mehidy 10
S.W. Ambris b Shakib 7
R.L. Chase b Mehidy 0
S.O. Hetmyer not out 32
S.O. Dowrich not out 17
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-1) 5
TOTAL (for five wkts, 24 overs) 75
FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-6, 3-17, 4-20, 5-29.
TO BAT: D. Bishoo, K.A.J. Roach, J.A. Warrican, S.H. Lewis.
BOWLING (to-date): Shakib Al Hasan 9-3-15-2; Mehidy Hasan 10-1-36-3; Nayeem Hasan 3-0-9-0; Taijul Islam 1-0-10-0; Mahmudullah 1-1-0-0.
Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2018
