Brathwaite guides Windies’ early response to Bangladesh in 2nd Test

KINGSTON, Jamaica,: West Indies´ second-wicket pair of Kraigg Brathwaite and Keacy Carty safely negotiated a tricky final period to take their team to 70-1 in reply to Bangladesh´s first-innings total of 164 at stumps on the second day of the second and final Test at Sabina Park on Sunday.

In desperate need of runs after a lean spell throughout much of 2024, captain Brathwaite was at his most phlegmatic in grinding out an unbeaten 33 off 115 balls.

Relative newcomer Carty was equally watchful for his 19 not out off 60 balls, the pair coming together in a stand so far worth 45 runs after the raw pace of Nahid Rana accounted for Brathwaite´s opening partner Mikyle Louis (12).

Rana´s wholehearted effort was some consolation for the tourists after the West Indies fast bowlers exploited the many deficiencies to consistent pace and bounce of the Bangladesh batting line-up.

This was particularly exposed in the first Test in Antigua when the West Indian pace battery pummelled their opponents during a comprehensive 201-run win. Leading the assault in Jamaica was Jayden Seales, who returned the outstanding figures of four wickets for five runs off 15.5 overs.

Frustrated late on the rain-shortened first day when poor catching left him with just one wicket for his efforts, he continued to bowl with miserly hostility and eventually got the reward of the last three wickets of the innings. Shamar Joseph had done the early damage on the second morning to finish with three for 49.

"For me, I just run in and bowl as fast as possible and try to make batsmen as uncomfortable as possible," said Joseph, before hailing Seales´ excellent returns. "That´s the best spell I have seen him bowl since I have been part of the team and I enjoyed watching that. He always brings a level of intensity to his effort."

Unbeaten on 50 overnight with Bangladesh at 69-2, opener Shadman Islam top-scored with 64 before he was sixth out with captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz (36) the only other player showing any meaningful resistance.

In their last 15 Test innings in the West Indies across four tours since 2014, Bangladesh posted an innings total below 200 for the 11th time. After lunch, however, Shamar and Alzarri Joseph overused the short-ball ploy against Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam. The two batters hung around for 116 balls and added 41. Eventually, Taijul fended a short ball from Alzarri to third slip.

Seales then snared the last three wickets for five runs. Taskin was the first to depart. He tried to pull a short ball but the edge flew behind the stumps. Da Silva leapt and parried it towards second slip where Alick Athanaze dived backwards to pouch it with both hands.

Seales had Mehidy top-edging a hook into the hands of fine leg in the same over before uprooting Nahid Rana's leg stump to wrap up the innings. The Bangladesh seamers also started miserly, giving away only 16 runs in the ten overs before tea. After tea, Rana breached the 150kph mark multiple times and had Louis caught behind for 12.

Taijul also found help from the surface and neither Brathwaite nor Carty could get him away. Seven of his ten overs were maidens but he could not pick up a wicket.