Bangladesh collapse again as Windies close in on victory
The visitors will head into the third day on 62/6, still 301 behind the Windies' first-innings score.
The hosts began day two with a 158-run lead and Kraigg Brathwaite (121) soon converted his overnight unbeaten 88 to three figures as he and Devendra Bishoo, the nightwatchman, extended their partnership to 52 before the latter was bowled by Kamrul Islam for a valiant 19 from 79 deliveries.
Brathwaite’s seventh Test century was one of supreme patience and calmness, and a well-crafted 67 from the stylish Shai Hope (67) further took the game away from Bangladesh.
The second session yielded 104 runs for four wickets; Shakib Al Hasan grabbing the important scalp of Brathwaite, while he and Mehidy Hasan made light work of Shane Dowrich and Roston Chase, who fell for four and two, respectively.
Jason Holder and Kemar Roach provided some destructive bite to the Windies tail, however, both scoring 33 and and providing excellent support to Hope. Roach has had a magnificent Test match so far with the ball and he also looked accomplished with bat in hand, hitting six fours and a six.
It was a spirited effort from the Bangladeshi bowlers on day two, but they had a mountain to climb given their woeful performance with the bat the previous day when they were skittled for 43.
After eventually dismissing the hosts for 406, Bangladesh needed a stoic effort in their second innings to give themselves any chance at all of salvaging this match. Tamim Iqbal, Bangaldesh’s premier batsman, was the first to fall again, nicking off to Hope in the slips as Shannon Gabriel (4/36) continued his superb recent form.
Mominul Haque was unfortunate, surviving just one ball before Gabriel cleaned him up with one that skidded low and took out his off stump. Liton Das fell in single figures driving a full delivery from Jason Holder (2/15) and edging to Brathwaite in the slips, before Gabriel picked up another, this time getting one between Mushfiqur Rahim's bat and pad and pegging back middle stump.
Captain Shakib Al Hasan was the fifth to go as Bangladesh capitulated, Gabriel getting the ball to jag away wickedly and Holder gobbling the chance excellently in the cordon down low to his right. Holder’s consistent lines continued to probe the batsmen, and he was rewarded with his second scalp as Mehidy snicked one to Dowrich behind the stumps.
It was another superb all-round performance from the Windies – even without the bowling services of Roach who was resting a knee injury – and Bangladesh are surely only playing for pride at this stage, looking for some kind of positivity to take into the second Test in Jamaica.