‘A’ team follow familiar script as top order crumbles 

Bangladesh 'A' began their tour of the West Indies on a familiar note resembling the national team as the Mohammad Mithun-led side suffered a top order batting collapse against the West Indies 'A' on a shortened opening day of the four-day match in Saint Lucia on Thursday.

However, it was the Bangladesh captain who top-scored with an anchoring 42, and remained unbeaten as well, as the visitors scored 135 for six on a day where only 43 overs could be bowled. According to a Caribbean news portal titled Trinidad Express Newspapers, the curtailed overs were down to the long interval used by the ground staff to fix a bowler's run-up area at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground.

West Indies quick Marquino Mindley was the destroyer in chief and scalped the first three wickets. Mahmudul Hasan Joy (0)  was caught and bowled while Saif Hassan (20) and Fazle Mahmud (1) nicked to the wicket-keeper and first slip, respectively.

Mithun arrived at number five and saw wickets kept falling in regular intervals. Shadman Islam, who was playing a patient knock, was the next to depart after a 46-ball 17 before Zakir Hasan (7) and wicket-keeper Jakir Ali (3) got out for cheap. However, Jakir combined for a 25-run stand before he fell.

At the end of the day, Mithun and Co would be happy to have consolidated their innings from a precarious 66 for five after Nayeem Hasan (23 not out) strung a 44-run stand for the seventh wicket with the skipper.  

Bangladesh A team are touring the Caribbean to play two four-dayers and three 50-over games; following the Bangladesh national side, who averaged 192 in the four Test innings, ended up convincingly losing the Test series 2-0 against the home side.