Watch cricket video highlights of Bangladesh tour of West Indies 2024. 1st Test between Bangladesh and West Indies. Venue of the match will be North Sound.
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Even though Bangladesh finished the third day of the Antigua Test with a score of 269 for 9 at stumps, the West Indies continued to dominate the match. After Alzarri Joseph, Jayden Seales, and all-rounder Justin Greaves almost did enough to force a follow-on on Bangladesh, the home team now leads by 181 runs. After three days of play, the visitors are still far behind, despite a late comeback that enabled them avoid it.
Although they made an effort to bat methodically on a slow surface, Bangladesh was unable to identify a single batsman who could go big as the West Indies did in their opening innings. Litton Das dropped for 40, while Mominul Haque and Jaker Ali left shortly after they reached their forties. In the last hour of the day, Jaker and Taijul Islam contributed 68 runs for the seventh wicket, bringing Bangladesh closer to the next target of 251. On the third morning, the guests got off to a calm start when Mominul gave Shamar Joseph two restrictions.
Shahadat Hossain played 71 balls before being dismissed by Kemar Roach for 18. After a scoreless innings, he edged to first slip, where Kavem Hodge made a low catch. Mominul and Litton continued to bat obdurately till the end of the first session. After an easy square-cut boundary off Alzarri, the normally free-flowing Litton played primarily within himself. Litton just released his arms to get another cut four, this time from Shamar, in the over prior to the lunch break.
But soon after noon, Seales caught Mominul leg before wicket as the left-hander hit his 21st fifty, giving the West Indies the breakthrough. The West Indies attack then put substitute skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz through a test of bouncers, with Alzarri even striking him in the shoulder. Seales contributed his fair share of verbals and bouncers. Shamar’s somewhat short ball, which Litton dragged onto his stumps, bowled him after he became bogged down as well.
Litton, one of three seasoned Bangladeshi batsmen, had a dismal departure after hitting 40 off 76 balls with three fours. Later in the second session, Mehidy hit a few of boundaries off Shamar and Greaves, but he continued to struggle with the short ball. Mehidy managed to survive 66 balls until Mikyle Louis made a simple catch when he popped an Alzarri bouncer to short-leg. Then came Taijul and Jaker’s unexpected comeback act. The two were disciplined in their shot selection and did capitalize on a weary West Indies onslaught.
They were always searching for the odd boundary, but they had to scrounge for scoring possibilities. Each of them also survived a missed opportunity. Jaker attempted to press the problem, but Taijul continued to use the West Indians’ speed to guide the ball behind square on the off-side. Jaker used the pull shot and the hoick to get his four boundaries, one of which enabled him to reach his fifty. When he bowled Taijul, Joseph separated the two after they had batted together for 19 overs.
Jaker fell to a Seales catch in the deep midwicket boundary, as he tried to clip Greaves for a big one. Toward the end, especially after the fast bowler struck the Bangladeshi tail-ender on the head, there was some by-play between Joseph and Taskin Ahmed. Despite their verbal exchanges, the waning light prevented Joseph from taking the ninth wicket for Bangladesh. After two excellent days of batting, West Indies entered the third day in a strong position. Going into the last day, they still have control of the proceedings at North Sound, and they will want the rain to stop so they can get a result.
