Tigers reach 40 for two at stumps on Day 2 in reply to Windies’ mammoth 450/9d

Bangladesh managed to reach 40 for the loss of two wickets in their first innings in response to West Indies' 450 for nine (declared) before play was called off early due to bad light on Day 2 of the first of the two Tests at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua today. 

Having batted 20 overs after the hosts declared their innings early in the final session, Bangladesh lost both their openers -- Mahmudul Hasan Joy (5 off 33) and Zakir Hasan (15 off 34) -- for cheap scores. 

Mominul Haque and Shahadat Hossain remain unbeaten on seven and 10, respectively, as the Tigers still trail Windies' first-innings score by 410 runs.

Zakir was the first to depart for Bangladesh, chopping a short of a length delivery from Jayden Seales onto his stumps in the 10th over. Zakir had smashed Seales for two boundaries by going onto his backfoot in that over, but the Windies pacer had the last laugh as he managed the left-hander to miscue one onto his stumps. 

Alzarri Joseph removed Joy in the very next over, having the right-hander edge one back to second slip. Joy was dropped on 5 by Mikyle Louis at gully in Joseph's previous over, but the young opener could not make that chance count.    

Earlier, Justin Greaves smashed his maiden Test ton and strung together a record 140-run eighth-wicket stand -- highest for the wicket by any team against Bangladesh in Tests -- with Kemar Roach to help West Indies pile up a mammoth first innings total. 

Greaves' maiden Test ton helps Windies declare first innings at 450 for nine

West Indies declared their first innings after piling up 450 for nine, thanks to Justin Greaves' maiden ton and a record-breaking stand between him and Kemar Roach on Day 2 of their first of two Tests against Bangladesh at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua today. 

The hosts batted over five sessions, negotiating 144.1 overs, before declaring shortly after tea today, with Greaves unbeaten on 115 off 206 deliveries and Shamar Joseph not out on 11 off eight deliveries.   

Greaves and tail-ender Kemar Roach stitched together a 140-run eighth-wicket stand -- the highest for the wicket in the format against Bangladesh, surpassing a 108-run partnership between Travis Friend and Heath Streak in a Test against Zimbabwe in Dhaka in 2001.

Roach, meanwhile, also reached two personal bests -- he registered his career-best score of 47 off 144 deliveries, which is also the highest number of deliveries ever faced by him in a Test innings. Roach's previous best was when he lasted 103 deliveries during a 29-run innings in a Test against Pakistan in Basseterre in 2011.

Hasan Mahmud, who gave Bangladesh two early breakthroughs on the day with wickets of Joshua Da Silva (14 off 23) and Alzarri Joseph (4 off 3) in successive overs, removed Roach just before tea to end an ominous-looking stand. 

After that, the hosts ratcheted up the scoring rate, with Jayden Seales scoring 18 off 25 deliveries before falling to Bangladesh skipper Mehedi Hasan Miraz in the last session.

Greaves and Shamar Joseph continued to swing their bats until the hosts decided to invite the Tigers to face the new cherry in the day's final session.     

Hasan was the pick of the bowlers for the Tigers, taking three for 87 in his 27 overs that saw three maidens. Taskin Ahmed and Miraz took two wickets each.  

Greaves, Roach frustrate Tigers as WI go past 400

West Indies' overnight batter Justin Greaves and tail-ender Kemar Roach frustrated Bangladesh bowlers as they stitched together a record eighth-wicket stand against the Tigers, helping the hosts to take their first innings score past 400 on Day 2 of their first of two Tests at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua today.

At tea, West Indies reached 415 for eight after 139 overs, with Greaves, who brought up his maiden Test ton, unbeaten on 109 off 195 deliveries, and Jayden Seales not out on one of 12 deliveries.

After pacer Hasan Mahmud removed wicketkeeper-batter Joshua Da Silva and Alzarri Joseph in successive overs early on the day, Greaves and Roach recorded a 140-run stand -- the highest for the eighth wicket in the format against Bangladesh, surpassing a 108-run partnership between Travis Friend and Heath Streak in a Test against Zimbabwe in Dhaka in 2001.

However, it was once again Hasan who broke the ominous-looking partnership between Roach and Greaves when he dismissed the former with a peach of a delivery that pitched outside off and nipped back to clip the top of middle stump late in the second session.

Roach, meanwhile, also reached two personal bests -- he registered his career-best score of 47 off 144 deliveries, which is also the highest number of deliveries ever faced by him in a Test innings. Roach's previous best was when he lasted 103 deliveries during a 29-run innings in a Test against Pakistan in Basseterre in 2011.

What would leave Bangladesh more frustrated is that they could have had the wicket of Greaves when he had a faint edge off a Taskin Ahmed delivery back to Jaker Ali, who had been keeping the wickets in place of Liton Das since the beginning of the second session, in the 119th over.
However, no Bangladesh players noticed or heard anything and with no appeals from the visitors, Greaves, on 77 at that time, survived.

Earlier, resuming on 250 for five, West Indies were quickly put on the back foot as Hasan dismissed Joshua Da Silva (14 off 23) leg before in the first over of the day. He followed up by removing new batter Alzarri Joseph (4 off 3) in the next over, courtesy of Zakir Hasan grabbing a brilliant diving catch at gully.

Greaves, Roach frustrate Tigers with record stand

West Indies' overnight batter Justin Greaves and tail-ender Kemar Roach stitched together a record eighth-wicket stand against Bangladesh on Day 2 of their first of two Tests at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua today. 

After pacer Hasan Mahmud removed wicketkeeper-batter Joshua Da Silva (14 off 23) and Alzarri Joseph (4 off 3) in successive overs early on the day, Greaves and Roach frustrated the Tigers with a stand that is now the highest for the eighth wicket in Tests against Bangladesh -- surpassing a 108-run partnership between Travis Friend and Heath Streak in a Test against Zimbabwe in Dhaka in 2001.

After 125 overs, West Indies accumulated 371 for seven with the partnership between Greaves and Roach reaching 110 off 232 deliveries. Greaves, who is approaching his maiden Test ton, remains unbeaten on 84 off 146 deliveries, while Roach scored 31 not out off 121 deliveries as rain halted proceedings. 

The rain-stoppage, however, did not last long as the play was able to be resumed after just about four minutes.  

Roach, meanwhile, also reached a personal best in terms of balls faced in a Test innings. His previous best was when he lasted 103 deliveries during a 29-run innings in a Test against Pakistan in Basseterre in 2011.

Hasan's early spark in vain

Bangladesh bowlers were right on point from the beginning of the second day of the first Test against hosts West Indies in Antigua on Saturday, led by pacer Hasan Mahmud striking early with a double breakthrough.

However, the hosts managed a steady recovery after the setbacks, with lower-order resistance ensuring they ended the opening session on 336 for seven in their first innings.

Resuming on 250 for five, West Indies were quickly put on the back foot as Hasan dismissed wicketkeeper-batter Joshua Da Silva (13) leg before in the first over of the day. He followed up by removing new batter Alzarri Joseph (four) in the next over, courtesy of Zakir Hasan grabbing a brilliant diving catch at gully, as the scorecard read 261 for seven.

With Da Silva's departure, Hasan Mahmud took his total of Test wickets this year to 24, setting a new record in a calendar year for a Bangladeshi pacer, surpassing Shahadat Hossain's 23 wickets in 2008.

Making the second new ball talk, tail-up Hasan -- who has taken consecutive five-wicket hauls against Pakistan and India this year -- almost claimed his third wicket in the same over when he trapped Kemar Roach in front. However, the review upheld the umpire's not-out decision.

Overnight batter Justin Greaves, playing his third Test, was not out on 63 after reaching his maiden fifty in the format, while Roach provided solid support during his unbeaten 19.

Mahmud makes early inroads

Hasan Mahmud dealt a double blow as Bangladesh looked to wrap up West Indies' first innings early on the second morning of the first Test in Antigua on Saturday.

The right-arm pacer trapped Windies wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva (14) in the first over of the day, with the second new ball only five overs old. Da Silva was trapped in front and the umpire raised his finger, the review returning umpire's call on impact.

Mahmud then removed Alzarri Joseph in his next over, Zakir Hasan taking a superb catch at gully. It was his 25th wicket of the calendar year, most by a Bangladeshi pacer, surpassing 23 by Shahadat Hossain in 2008.

Mahmud could have a third in the same over when he trapped Kemar Roach in front, but the umpire did not raise his finger this time and the review returned umpire's call. 

Having started the day at 250 for five, West Indies were 261 for seven within three overs.