Bangladesh hard work destroyed by Sarwan spin

Bangladesh 416 & 94-6 West Indies 35

Once again overcome by their habit of second innings collapses, Bangladesh let an encouraging position slip on the fourth day of the first Test against the West Indies at the Beausejours Stadium here yesterday.

Once again overcome by their habit of second innings collapses, Bangladesh let an encouraging position slip on the fourth day of the first Test against the West Indies at the Beausejours Stadium here yesterday.

They earned a first innings lead of 62 after dismissing the West Indies for 352. But they went into the customary second innings spiral to be 94 for 6 at close, ahead by 158.

Ramnaresh Sarwan, an occasional leg-spinner, was the main source of their problems. Tino Best triggered the collapse with the wicket of captain Habibul Bashar to end a third-wicket partnership of 49 between the captain and Rajin Saleh, bowling Bashar for 25.

Sarwan then dismissed Mohammed Ashraful in the next over, following up six runs later with the wickets of left-hander Foysal Hossain and Mushfiqur Rehman with successive balls.

Saleh remained to the end with 34 but Bangladesh face a difficult final day if they are to avoid the 27th defeat in the 29 Tests since their elevation to the status four years ago.

Earlier, Chris Gayle extended his overnight 110 to 141 before he was one of Musfiqur's four victims. Once he was out, the fragile West Indies tail quickly folded, leaving Ridley Jacobs unbeaten on 46.

Bangladesh won the toss

BANGLADESH - First innings 416 (Habibul Bashar 113, Mohammad Rafique 113, Mohammad Ashraful 81; Collins 4-83, Sarwan 3-39).

WEST INDIES - First Innings (overnight 262-5)
D S Smith run out 0
C H Gayle c Habibul Bashar b Tapash Ba 141
R R Sarwan c Mohammad Rafique b Tapash Baisya 40
B C Lara c Khaled Mashud b Mushfiqur Rahman 53
S Chanderpaul c Khaled Mashud b Mohammad Rafique 7
D R Smith c Tareq Aziz b Mohammad Rafique 42
R D Jacobs not out 46
T L Best b Mohammad Rafique 3
P T Collins c Habibul Bashar b Mushfiqur 4
J J C Lawson c Hannan Sarkar b Mushfiqur 0
F H Edwards lbw b Mushfiqur Rahman 5
Extras (lb3, nb8) 11
Total (116.4 overs) 352

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-89, 3-162, 4-183, 5-253, 6-312, 7-321, 8-336, 9-342.

Bowling: Tapash Baisya 26-5-87-2; Tareq Aziz 23-3-95-0; Mushfiqur Rahman 25.4-8-65-4; Mohammad Rafique 36-12-90-3; Rajin Saleh 6-0-12-0.

BANGLADESH - Second Innings
Hannan Sarkar b Edwards 9
Javed Omar c Jacobs b Collins 7
Habibul Bashar b Best 25
Rajin Saleh not out 34
Mohammad Ashraful c & b Sarwan 1
Faisal Hossain c Gayle b Sarwan 2
Mushfiqur Rahman lbw b Sarwan 0
Khaled Mashud not out 8
Extras (lb2 nb6) 8
Total (for 6, 32 overs) 94

Fall: 1-17, 2-21, 3-70, 4-73, 5-79, 6-79.

To Bat: Mohammad Rafique, Tapash Baisya, Tareq Aziz.

Bowling: Collins 7-3-12-1; Edwards 7-1-26-1; Lawson 4-0-19-0; Sarwan 8-2-22-3; Best 5-1-12-1; Gayle 1-0-1-0.

Umpires: D J Harper (Aus) and J W Lloyds (Eng).