Bangladesh vs West Indies, Highlights, 2nd Test, Day 3 At Dhaka: Hosts' spinners keep side in game

Report, Day 2: Shannon Gabriel claimed two wickets and Alzarri Joseph complemented his brilliant batting with a prized scalp to put the West Indies firmly on top in the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Friday. The West Indies reduced Bangladesh to 105-4 at stumps on the second day after posting 409 runs in their first innings on the back of half-centuries from Joshua Da Silva (92), Nkrumah Bonner (90) and Joseph (82). Mushfiqur Rahim was batting on 27 alongside Mohammad Mithun at the close, helping Bangladesh prevent further embarrassment after the early damage. The hosts still required 104 runs to avoid the follow on. Gabriel dismissed opener Soumya Sarkar for a duck in the first over of the innings and then removed one-down Najmul Hossain for four in the next over. Tamim Iqbal and Mominul Haque repaired the damage with 56-run for the third wicket before off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall struck. Da Silva took the catch as Mominul fell for 21 runs. Joseph dismissed Tamim in the next over for 44 runs to aggravate Bangladesh’s problems. Tamim said it had been a good wicket for batting “even when we came to bat”. Da Silva, Joseph and Nkrumah Bonner all came close to centuries earlier as the West Indies dominated Bangladesh to add 186 runs in two sessions they batted before being all out. After resuming on 223-5, Da Silva and Joseph added 118 runs for the seventh wicket after Bonner missed out on converting his overnight half-century, falling for his career-best knock. Seamer Abu Jayed and left-arm spinner Taijul Islam finished with 4-98 and 4-108 respectively helping Bangladesh dismiss the West Indies on the stroke of the tea break. Off-spinner Mehidy Hasan denied Bonner his maiden Test century, dismissing him for 90 off 209 balls after the right-hander resumed on 74. Mithun took a good catch at leg slip as Bonner departed after hitting seven boundaries, securing his second fifty in as many innings. Da Silva brought up his 50 in 86 balls with a reverse sweep off Mehidy before being bowled by Taijul for 92. “I can’t even describe how it feels or what it means just to be eight runs short. I wish I could have that ball. It is the second time that I got out that way. Hopefully next time I will not get out that way,” lamented Da Silva. “We are in a top position but we can’t take it for granted. We need to get the rest of the first innings’ wickets and then hopefully get all the wickets to win this Test match,” he said. Joseph, who batted aggressively followed him soon afterwards, nicking Jayed to wicketkeeper Liton Das. He struck eight fours and five sixes in his 108-ball innings. “When I came to the crease, it was just to bat some time and support Josh ( Da Silva) at the crease,” said Joseph. “It is disappointing not to get the hundred but I have been working hard on my batting. There will be other opportunities for me to get that score,” he said. Jayed and Taijul soon wrapped up the West Indies’ innings by picking the wickets of Jomel Warrican (two) and Shannon Gabriel (eight). The visitors won the first Test in Chittagong by three wickets in a sensational fashion, making 395-7 in the fourth innings – the fifth-highest successful run chase in the 144-year history of Test cricket. With inputs from AFP