Opener Shadman Islam stood up with a gritty 99* off 219 balls and applied himself beautifully out there against good West Indies bowling. Shadman Islam made sure that Bangladesh ended the day on the front foot. Shadman was ably supported by a bit of Mominul Haque, who made 28, and then Towhid Hridoy, who made 42 before retiring hurt. Litton Das is with him as Bangladesh ended the day at 213/3 in 74 overs, where Bad Light curtailed the final session.
For West Indies, Jomel Warrican was the pick of the bowlers with 2 wickets, while Jayden Seales got the other wicket to fall. The others bowled decently, as hard work awaits the West Indies on Day 2 as the bowlers have kept the run flow under check, it must be said. Bangladesh are with their noses slightly in front at this stage.
Shadman Islam’s steady innings drives Bangladesh forward despite a loss of a couple of wickets in the morning session
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Shadman Islam and Tanzid Hasan came out to open the batting for Bangladesh while Jayden Seales had the ball in hand for West Indies. Seales started with a maiden. Shamar Joseph shared the new ball from the other end. Tanzid got the first runs of the day with a triple through covers, driving the ball. Seales followed it up with another maiden. Joseph also bowled a maiden.
Seales continued and bowled a decent over. Joseph too kept things under control. Seales continued and drew first blood for the West Indies as he dismissed Tanzid for 7 off 23 balls as he played away from the body and got the outside edge through to Justin Greaves at slip. Mominul Haque came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. Joseph continued and bowled a quiet over.
Seales continued as Shadman broke the shackles and got the first boundary of the day as he clipped it away through square leg and midwicket for a boundary. Joseph bowled another tight over. Captain Roston Chase came into the attack next. Mominul welcomed him with a boundary as he cut it square of the off-side through backward point. Justin Greaves came into the attack next. Shadman went back in the crease and square-cut the ball through covers for a boundary.
Chase continued as Mominul completed 11,000 runs in First Class Cricket. Bangladesh were 34/1 in 13 overs when we paused for Drinks in the morning session. Greaves continued after the break as Mominul drove the ball down the ground past mid-on for a triple. Chase continued as Mominul got down on one knee and swept it through fine leg for a boundary. Greaves continued and bowled a maiden. Chase continued and bowled a decent over as well. Greaves bowled another maiden.
Chase continued as Shadman rocked back and pulled it away through the midwicket region for a boundary. Shadman then crunched the ball through covers for a boundary. The 50-run stand came up between the duo. Greaves continued as Shadman lifted his front leg and played the short arm jab through backward square leg for a boundary.
Debutant Joshua Bishop came into the attack next. He bowled a decent first over. Jomel Warrican then came into the attack. He struck straightaway as Mominul threw it away by lofting the ball straight to mid-off, where Joseph took the catch as the batter Mominul fell for 28 off 51 balls with 2 fours to his name. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto came out to bat and he got off the mark soon. Bishop continued as Shanto leaned forward and hit it straight down the ground past mid-on for a boundary.
Warrican continued and bowled a decent over. Bishop continued and bowled a decent over. Warrican continued and bowled a decent over as well. Bishop too bowled a good over as well. Warrican bowled another tight over. Roston Chase returned to the attack to bowl the final over before Lunch. He bowled a decent over as Bangladesh reached 96/2 in 29 overs with Shadman unbeaten on 42 off 80 balls alongside Shanto unbeaten on 15 off 20 balls as players walked off the field for Lunch on Day 1 in Cape Town.
Shadman Islam’s stellar knock keeps Bangladesh ahead in the afternoon session
Shadman Islam and Najmul Hossain Shanto came out to resume proceedings for Bangladesh while Jomel Warrican had the ball in hand for West Indies after Lunch. Warrican started with a quiet over. Jayden Seales took the ball from the other end. He bowled a quiet over. Warrican continued as the 100 came up for Bangladesh in 31.1 overs. Seales continued and bowled a maiden. Warrican bowled another decent over. Seales continued as Shadman reached his 10th fifty in Tests in 95 balls and his 4th against the West Indies.
Warrican continued and got the breakthrough for the West Indies as he removed captain Shanto for 19 off 42 balls with one four to his name thanks to great use of DRS. The on-field umpire said no, and West Indies reviewed it and got the decision in their favour. Towhid Hridoy came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. Shamar Joseph came back into the attack as Hridoy flicked it away through the fine-leg region for a boundary.
Warrican continued and bowled a decent over. Joseph continued and overstepped but bowled a decent over. Warrican continued and bowled a probing over. Joseph continued and bowled another good over. Warrican continued and kept the scoring under check. Joseph continued as Hridoy rode the bounce and pulled it in front of square for a boundary. Bangladesh reached 135/3 in 43 overs when we paused for Drinks in the afternoon session.
Joshua Bishop came back into the attack post the break, and he bowled a decent over. Justin Greaves came back into the attack. He bowled a quiet over as well. Bishop continued and bowled a decent over. Greaves bowled a maiden. Bishop continued and bowled a quiet over. Greaves continued as Shadman went for the booming drive and away from the body to get a thick outside edge past second slip for a boundary.
Bishop continued and bowled a decent over. Greaves continued and bowled a maiden. Bishop continued as the 150 came up for Bangladesh in 51.1 overs. Greaves continued and overstepped as well. He overstepped a few balls again later while Shadman caressed the ball through the covers for a boundary. He then tickled the ball down the leg side through fine leg for a boundary. Bishop continued as Hridoy swept it away through fine leg for a boundary.
Roston Chase returned to the attack and delivered a maiden over. Bishop continued and bowled a decent over. Chase continued and bowled another decent over. Bishop continued and bowled another good over. Chase came to bowl the last over before Tea as Shadman rocked back and pulled it away between midwicket and mid-on for a triple. Bangladesh reached 177/3 in 59 overs with Shadman Islam unbeaten on 79 off 167 balls alongside Hridoy unbeaten on 36 off 74 balls as the players walked off the field at Tea on Day 1.
Shadman Islam stranded on 99* as Bad Light curtails play in the evening session with Bangladesh on top
Shadman Islam and Towhid Hridoy came out to resume proceedings for Bangladesh while Joshua Bishop had ball in hand for West Indies under overcast conditions and gloomy skies in Mirpur. Bishop bowled a quiet first over after Tea. Roston Chase had ball in hand from the other end as he went back in the crease and pulled it away in front of square for a boundary. Bishop continued as West Indies lost a DRS for caught behind against Shadman.
Chase continued and from the 63rd over onwards, the umpire started to look at the light as it deteriorated. Bishop continued as Shadman hammered the ball through covers and mid-off for a boundary. Shadman completed 7000 runs in First Class cricket. Chase continued and bowled a quiet over as well. Bishop continued as Hridoy was struggling out there and after 65.5 overs Hridoy was stretchered out for 42 off 84 balls with 3 fours to his name, retired hurt.
Litton Das came out to bat next. Chase continued and bowled a quiet over. Bishop continued as the 200 came up for Bangladesh in 68 overs. Warrican continued and bowled a decent over. Bishop continued as Litton played the late cut and the ball went between slip and silly point for a boundary. Bangladesh were 207/3 in 70 overs when the players were asked to leave the field for Bad Light.
Things improved a tad out there as play resumed after 30-45 minutes, with Shadman and Litton resuming for Bangladesh and Jomel Warrican having the ball in hand for West Indies. Warrican bowled a maiden to start after the break. Joshua Bishop continued, and he too bowled a maiden. Shamar Joseph came back into the attack and bowled a decent over. Warrican continued and bowled a decent over.
Bangladesh were 213/3 in 74 overs when we went off again for Bad Light, and soon Stumps were called with the light not set to improve at all. Shadman Islam is stranded on 99* off 219 balls with 10 fours to his name and will be on strike first ball of Day 2. Keeper-batter Litton Das is with him on 10 off 28 balls with one four to his name. 8 extras given by the West Indies bowlers.
It was hard work for the West Indies bowlers out there. Jomel Warrican was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/33 in 14 overs. Jayden Seales finished with 1/14 in 8 overs. Shamar Joseph finished with 0/28 in 10 overs. Roston Chase finished with 0/53 in 13 overs. Justin Greaves finished with 0/30 in 10 overs. Joshua Bishop finished with 0/50 in 19 overs.
What Lies Ahead on Day 2.Â
For starters, we may start early tomorrow to make up for some of the lost time today due to light issues. Saying so, Bangladesh have their noses in front after opting to bat first and Shadman has been great so far. Bangladesh will aim to get 400-450 from here while West Indies will hope for early wickets tomorrow morning and limit the first innings score. An interesting Day 2 awaits us weather and light permitting in Mirpur. Let’s see how the day 2 pans out for all of us.
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