Opener Shadman Islam brought up his fifth Test fifty as he and Shahadat Hossain helped Bangladesh steady the ship following two early wickets on Day 1 of the second and final match of the series against hosts West Indies at the Sabina Park in Jamaica today. 

At stumps, Bangladesh reached 69 for the loss of two wickets, with Shadman unbeaten on 50 off 100 deliveries and Shahadat scoring 12 off 63 not out in a game that started after a five-hour delay due to a wet outfield and was also called off earlier than scheduled due to bad light.

Relentless rain in the last two weeks in Jamaica meant that the match got underway five hours after the original scheduled time of 9:00pm (Saturday, Bangladesh time). And with light not permitting, only 30 overs of play was possible, even though there was a decision to have 45 overs of play in a three-hour-long final session.    

Shadman and Shahadat starred in an unbeaten 59-run stand to give Bangladesh some respite after a shaky start during which the visitors lost opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy (3 off 12) and Mominul Haque (0 off 6) for cheap scores to be in a spot of bother at 10 for two after just 6.4 overs. 

Windies pacer Kemar Roach got both the wickets on the day, and also in a similar fashion. He started by having Joy edge one back to wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva with an outswinger -- setting up the right-hander after having the previous two deliveries nip back in. In the very next over, Roach got rid of Mominul -- this time angling it in and then nipping away off the pitch to induce the outside edge of the experienced left-handed batter through to the wicketkeeper.

Had it not been for some sloppy fielding by the Windies, Bangladesh would have been in deeper trouble as both Shadman and Shahadat had survived some close calls. Shadman was dropped twice -- on 15, at second slip by Alick Athanaze off the bowling of Alzarri Joseph, and on 35, at short cover by Windies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite off a Justin Greaves delivery -- while Shahadat was dropped on 8. Shahadat had gone for a drive off a Jayden Seales delivery and edged it back but Athanaze, at second slip, could not hold on to the catch as it popped out towards Kavem Hodge, who also fumbled at first slip.  

But despite the chances, Shadman and Shahadat managed to stay till the end and will be looking to build on their fifty-plus stand tomorrow.
 

Match begins after five-hour delay as Tigers opt to bat in Jamaica Test

Bangladesh's stand-in skipper Mehedi Hasan Miraz won the toss and elected to bat first as the second and final Test against hosts West Indies is set to begin after a lengthy delay due to a wet outfield at the Sabina Park in Jamaica today. 

According to reports, there has been a lot of rain in Jamaica in the last two weeks, resulting in a soggy pitch and outfield. However, following several inspections amid the relentless work put in by the groundstaff, the match is set to get underway five hours after the original scheduled time of 9:00pm (Saturday, Bangladesh time).

Rain is also in the forecast for later in the day as well, but weather permitting, there will be 45 overs of play in a three-hour long session, according to what Ian Bishop said on air. 

Bangladesh, meanwhile, have brought in two changes from the eleven that got hammered by 201 runs in the first Test in Antigua last week. Pacer Nahid Rana replaces left-arm seamer Shoriful Islam while a change in the top-order sees opener Shadman Islam getting a nod ahead of Zakir Hasan. Bangladesh's regular all-format skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto was rendered unavailable for both the World Test Championship (WTC) fixtures of this tour due to a groin strain suffered during the Afghanistan ODIs in the UAE last month.    

The hosts, however, remain unchanged from the last game. Starting his 86th Test in a row, West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite has surpassed legend Garfield Sobers to play the most consecutive Tests for his country today. This is Brathwaite's 86th Test in a row. Sobers previously held the record in this regard, playing 85 Tests on the trot for the Windies. 

Playing XIs:

Bangladesh: Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mominul Haque, Shadman Islam, Shahadat Hossain Dipu, Litton Das(w), Mehidy Hasan Miraz(c), Jaker Ali, Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana 

West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite(c), Mikyle Louis, Keacy Carty, Kavem Hodge, Alick Athanaze, Justin Greaves(w), Joshua Da Silva, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Shamar Joseph
   

Match to begin after five-hour delay

After a lengthy delay due to wet outfield, the toss for the second and final Test between hosts Bangladesh and the West Indies at the Sabina Park in Jamaica will take place at 1:30am (Bangladesh time) and the match will begin 30 minutes after the coin flip. 

According to reports, there has been a lot of rain in Jamaica in the last two weeks, resulting in a soggy pitch and outfield. However, following several inspections amid the relentless work put in by the groundstaff, the match will now begin five hours after the original scheduled time of 9:00pm (Saturday, Bangladesh time).       

Wet conditions delay toss in Jamaica Test

Wet conditions, resulting in a soggy pitch and outfield, have delayed the toss for the second Test between Bangladesh and hosts West Indies at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica on Saturday.

The match officials will inspect the state of the ground at 10pm (Bangladesh time). 

The visitors will be eager to bounce back after suffering a crushing 201-run defeat in the opening fixture last week.