Bonner hits half-century as West Indies, Bangladesh wrestle for control

SCORECARD

It was a see-saw day with both teams wrestling for control, and things were evenly poised by stumps, with Nkrumah Bonner, playing just his second Test, scoring an unbeaten 74* to defy the home side.

For Bangladesh, Abu Jayed and Taijul Islam took two wickets each, with Soumya Sarkar – a replacement in the side for the injured Shakib Al Hasan – snaring a wicket as well.

West Indies opted to bat, and started well, with captain Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell putting on a solid partnership of 66 for the opening wicket. Brathwaite was watchful even as Campbell played a few shots, and the home side were pegged back for well into the session.

Their breakthrough came via the left-arm spin of Taijul. Campbell, who had attempted the sweep fairly regularly during his stay, missed one against Taijul, and was promptly trapped in front. He reviewed his dismissal, but the umpire adjudged there wasn’t sufficient evidence to overturn the on-field umpire’s dismissal, and Campbell had to walk.

In came Shayne Moseley, and alongside Brathwaite, they took West Indies into lunch at a healthy 84/1, looking good for a lot more. However, Bangladesh got right back into the contest in the second session. Shortly after the restart, they had Moseley dismissed – the West Indies No.3 chased a wide delivery from the paceman Jayed, and watched in horror as the ball crashed into the stumps off the inside edge.

Brathwaite, with Kyle Mayers – the hero of Chattogram – for company, looked to grind out any momentum Bangladesh gained from that dismissal, but their brief partnership was broken when the West Indies captain was caught at slip after he went after a wide delivery. He fell just three short of a half-century.

Bangladesh weren’t done yet, although once again, the West Indies batsmen didn’t help themselves. Mayers went after another wide-ish delivery from Javed, and watched on as Sarkar pulled off a fine catch at wide slip. West Indies slid to 116/4.

Thankfully for the visitors, Bonner, playing just his second Test, and having played an influential role in the first Test victory, continued showing good form. He, along with Jermaine Blackwood, went about reviving the innings, with Bonner efficiently seeing off the good deliveries, and putting away the bad. He never got bogged down during his 74*, putting away six fours, and Blackwood provided strong support for the fifth wicket.

Bonner brought up his half-century in the final session, and looked good for more, but the dismissal of Blackwood applied the brakes on West Indies a tad. Blackwood, having scored 28 off 77 deliveries, returned a catch to Taijul, but the reliable Joshua Da Silva partnered with Bonner for the remainder of the session, scoring 22* to help West Indies to a steady position by stumps.