Collins increases Bangladesh woes

Bangladesh 139 West Indies 118

It might seem improbable at the moment but there are Test teams considered by the International Cricket Council to be worse than England.

Two of those sides began the first of two Tests at the Bangbandhu Stadium here yesterday and the gap between Bangladesh, the newest and lowest ranked, and the other nine élite teams of international cricket was immediately confirmed.

The West Indies, once as mighty as the present Australians but now going through such difficult times they have slipped to eighth in the ICC's official Test table, immediately built an advantage that was as common for their great team of the 1980s under Clive Lloyd as it has been for Steve Waugh's Australia these past few weeks.

They sent the Bangladeshis in on winning the toss, quickly had them five down for 44 on a pitch offering movement to their seam bowlers and eventually dismissed them 30 minutes after tea for 139.

Their left-handed openers, Wavell Hinds, who ended the day under the floodlights on 73, and Chris Gayle (44) then helped themselves to 19 fours in scoring 118 without loss.

This is Bangladesh's 16th Test since gaining full status two years ago mainly on the evidence of their famous, if dubious, victory over Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup. Their record of 14 defeats in 15 Tests, 10 by an innings, has validated the widespread view that they were not ready and another one-sided day was further evidence.

Their selectors compounded the inexperience by including four teenagers in the team. Anwar Hossain, two days short of his 19th birthday, opened the batting on debut and Talha Zubair, who is two years younger, opened the bowling.

Their woes began with the day's first ball, an inswinging yorker from left-armer Pedro Collins that would have been too good for most batsmen and certainly was for Hannan Sarkar, who lost his off-stump.

By lunch, they were 70 for 5. They were revived by a partnership of 73 between another teenager Alok Kapali, who showed genuine potential with 52 filled with nine classy fours, and their captain Khaled Mashud, 22. After Vasbert Drakes, the 33-year-old making a Test debut delayed for seven years while he played in South Africa and on England's county circuit, bowled Khaled, the last five wickets fell for 22. Collins, 5 for 26, and Drakes, 4 for 61, will hardly have easier pickings, unless it is in the second innings.

First day; West Indies won toss

Bangladesh – First innings
Hannan Sarkar b Pedro Collins 0
Anwar Hossain c Jacobs b Drakes 2
Mohammad Ashraful c Jacobs b Collins 6
Habibul Bashar c Ganga b Collins 24
Aminul Islam lbw Lawson 5
Alok Kapali lbw Drakes 52
Khaled Masud b Drakes 22
Naimur Rahman c Gayle b Collins 1
Enamul Haque b Collins 6
Tapash Baisya c Jacobs b Drakes 7
Talha Zubair not out 4
Extras (lb 6, w 1, nb 3) 10
Total (54.1 overs) 139

Fall: 1-0, 2-4, 3-25, 4-40, 5-44, 6-117, 7-118, 8-124, 9-135.

Bowling: Collins 17.1-7-26-5 (2nb), Drakes 18-2-61-4 (1nb), Lawson 9-2-24-1, Powell 10-2-22-0 (1w).

West Indies – First Innings
C H Gayle not out 44
W W Hinds not out 73
Extras (nb 1) 1
Total (for 0, 33 overs) 118

To bat: M N Samuels, R R Sarwan, D Ganga, P T Collins, *ÝR D Jacobs, D B Powell, V C Drakes, J J C Lawson, S Chanderpaul.

Bowling: Tapash Baishya 9-1-44-0 (1nb), Talha Zubair 6-0-31-0, Naimur Rahman 12-2-27-0, Enamul Haque 5-2-10-0, Mohammad Ashraful 1-0-6-0.

Umpires: D Shephard (Eng) and D Orchard (SA).