Taijul five-for seals Bangladesh’s first home Test win against WI

Bangladesh spinners completed yet another splendid show as they humbled visiting West Indies by 64 runs in their first Test of two-match series at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium Saturday.

West Indies were given a target of 204 but they were bundled out for just 139 in 35.2 overs on a crumbling wicket in the third day of the game. 

Bangladesh started the day on 55 for the loss of five wickets, an overall lead of 133, with wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim and youngster Mehedi Hasan Miraz at the crease. 

Mushfiq (19) was the first batsman to go as Windies pacer Shannon Gabriel rattled his defence with an in-swinging delivery.

Shakib denies claim wicket was unplayable #Bangladesh captain #Shakib al Hasan did not term the Chittagong wicket as “unplayable” as the first #Test match against the #WestIndies ended in two and a half days.https://t.co/hJ5uPzwu9Q

— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) November 24, 2018

Bangladesh’s late-middle order did not last for much longer as they were all-out for 125 and took a lead of 203. 

However, Mahmudullah’s innings must be mentioned as he made a hardworking 31 off 46 balls batting at No 8 that took the lead past the crucial 200-run mark. 

That landmark must have inspired Bangladesh bowlers as the chase was always going to be difficult on a pitch with dust and uneven bounce. 

That also might have played in the minds of the Caribbean batsmen as they panicked early in the chase, and their top-order was razed by the Bangladesh spinners for almost nothing.

Bangladesh captain Shakib al Hasan got rid of opener Kieran Powell for a first-ball duck as the left-handed batsman danced down the wicket only to be beaten before Mushfiq completed an easy stumping. 

Shakib got the next wicket with the aid of Mushfiq as one-down Shai Hope was caught behind for three when the score was 11. 

Amid the wicket-fest by the spinners, @BCBtigers off-spinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz could fetch just three wickets in the first Test match against the West Indies, but he played a crucial role by removing the opponent’s most destructive batsman twice.https://t.co/6jH0VBwWSF#BCB

— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) November 24, 2018

Shakib’s fellow left-arm spinner Taijul Islam joined the party as he trapped opener Kraigg Brathwaite (eight) and Roston Chase (nought) at the same over to put the visitor in dire straits. 

Windies got some respite thanks to the lunch break and Shimron Hetmyer decided to counter attack after resumption.

His strategy seemed to be effective at least momentarily as he picked up 17 runs off a Shakib over.

But off-spinner Miraz made a crucial breakthrough by bagging the wicket of Hetmyer, who eventually made 27 off 19, in the 11th over to dent Windies’ hope.  

The visitor seemed to be floored when Taijul notched three more wickets to make the score 75/8. 

But two-down Sunil Ambris and lower-order batsman Jomel Warrican offered rearguard action as they started to build up a partnership. 

The pair seemed to bring the ascendancy as they added 63 for the ninth wicket, but Miraz once again struck with his golden arm by removing Warrican, who played a well-made 41-run knock. 

Taijul did the rest by dismissing Ambris for 43 and returned with a fine 6/33, his fourth five-wicket haul in his last three Tests. 

West Indies opener Kieran Powell made a golden duck against @BCBtigers while chasing 204 and in the process, registered his name in the history books of ignominy Saturday.https://t.co/wZ1ZlKKXRX#BCBTIGERS #BCB #TIGERS #CRICKET #BANGLADESHCRICKET #BANGLADESH #WINDIES #WESTINDIES

— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) November 24, 2018

No 3 batsman Mominul Haque was adjudged man of the match for his brilliant 120-run knock that he played in Bangladesh’s first innings. 

Bangladesh captain Shakib credited his spinners and Mominul’s century for the win.

"I think Nayeem [Hasan] was brilliant in the first innings. Little contributions from Taijul and Nayeem with the bat were tremendous, obviously Mominul was brilliant. We won the small moments, which was crucial to the win,” Shakib said during the post-match presentation.

On the other hand, West Indies skipper Brathwaite admitted it was a tough pitch to bat on.

"A tough loss for us, I thought Bangladesh team did very well. Our bowlers did a good job. I think the new ball was the key. We didn't build partnerships and that was the key. It was a tough pitch to bat on. I thought Hetmyer and [Shane] Dowrich played very well [in the first innings]. Unfortunately they didn't go on for longer,” said Brathwaite.

1ST TEST, DAY 3

BANGLADESH 1ST INNINGS    R    B

Imrul c Ambris b Warrican    44    87

Soumya c Dowrich b Roach    0    2

Mominul c Dowrich b Gabriel    120    167

Mithun c Dowrich b Bishoo    20    50

Shakib b Gabriel        34    68

Mushfiq lbw b Gabriel        4    3

Mahmudullah b Gabriel    3    7

Miraz b Warrican        22    31

Nayeem c Hope b Warrican    26    74

Taijul not out            39    68

Mustafizur lbw b Warrican    0    3

Extras (b 3, lb 5, nb 4)        12 

Total (92.4 Overs)        324 all out

Fall Of Wickets

1-1 (Soumya), 2-105 (Imrul), 3-153 (Mithun), 4-222 (Mominul), 5-226 (Mushfiq), 6-230 (Mahmudullah), 7-235 (Shakib), 8-259 (Miraz), 9-324 (Nayeem), 10-324 (Mustafizur)

Bowling

Roach 17-2-63-1, Gabriel 20-3-70-4, Chase 11-0-42-0, Warrican 21.4-6-62-4, Bishoo 15-0-60-1, Brathwaite 8-1-19-0

WEST INDIES 1ST INNINGS        R    B

Brathwaite c Soumya b Shakib    13    47

Powell lbw b Taijul            14    20

Hope b Shakib                1    4

Ambris lbw b Nayeem            19    69

Chase c Imrul b Nayeem        31    43

Hetmyer c Mushfiq b Miraz        63    47

Dowrich not out            63    101

Bishoo lbw b Nayeem            7    15

Roach lbw b Nayeem            2    3

Warrican b Nayeem            12    26

Gabriel c Mahmudullah b Shakib    6    11

Extras (b 6, lb 2, nb 2, pen 5)        15 

Total (64 Overs)            246 all out 

Fall Of Wickets

1-29 (Powell), 2-30 (Hope), 3-31 (Brathwaite), 4-77 (Chase), 5-88 (Ambris), 6-180 (Hetmyer), 7-199 (Bishoo), 8-205 (Roach), 9-225 (Warrican), 10-246 (Gabriel)

Bowling

Mustafizur 2-1-4-0, Miraz 15-0-67-1, Taijul 20-3-51-1, Shakib 11-1-43-3, Nayeem 14-2-61-5, Mahmudullah 2-0-7-0

BANGLADESH 2ND INNINGS    R    B

Imrul b Warrican        2    5

Soumya c Brathwaite b Chase11    10

Mominul lbw b Chase        12    11

Mithun b Bishoo        17    35

Shakib c Gabriel b Warrican    1    2

Mushfiq b Gabriel        19    39

Miraz c Dowrich b Bishoo    18    35

Mahmudullah c Hope b Bishoo31    46

Nayeem c Hope b Bishoo    5    27

Taijul c Warrican b Chase    1    5

Mustafizur not out        2    3

Extras (b 2, lb 1, nb 3)        6

Total (35.5 Overs)        125 all out 

Fall Of Wickets

1-13 (Imrul), 2-13 (Soumya), 3-32 (Mominul), 4-35 (Shakib), 5-53 (Mithun), 6-69 (Mushfiq), 7-106 (Miraz), 8-122 (Nayeem), 9-123 (Mahmudullah), 10-125 (Taijul)

Bowling

Roach 1-0-11-0, Warrican 16-2-43-2, Chase 6.5-1-18-3, Bishoo 9-0-26-4, Gabriel 3-0-24-1

WEST INDIES 2ND INNINGS    R    B

Brathwaite lbw b Taijul    8    23

Powell st Mushfiq b Shakib    0    1

Hope c Mushfiq b Shakib    3    6

Ambris c Mushfiq b Taijul    43    62

Chase lbw b Taijul        0    4

Hetmyer c Nayeem b Miraz    27    19

Dowrich lbw b Taijul        5              14

Bishoo b Taijul            2    21

Roach lbw b Taijul        1     7

Warrican c Shakib b Miraz    41    55

Gabriel not out        0    0

Extras (b 9)            9

Total (35.2 Overs)        139 all out

Fall Of Wickets

1-5 (Powell), 2-11 (Hope), 3-11 (Brathwaite), 4-11 (Chase), 5-44 (Hetmyer), 6-51 (Dowrich), 7-69 (Bishoo), 8-75 (Roach), 9-138 (Warrican), 10-139 (Ambris)

Bowling

Shakib 7-0-30-2, Nayeem 7-1-29-0, Taijul 11.2-2-33-6, Miraz 8-1-27-2, Mustafizur 2-0-11-0

Bangladesh won by 64 runs, take 1-0 lead in 2-Test series

MoM: Mominul Haque