Jaker and Nayeem rescue act takes lead past 100 before bad light ends play for third straight day
Bad light ended play for the third day running in Mirpur on Monday, with Bangladesh 79 for six after 29 overs in their second innings, 106 ahead. Jaker Ali and Nayeem Hasan had rescued them with an unbroken stand after the West Indies spinners triggered a top-order collapse.
Jaker and Nayeem have put on 26 from 44 balls for the seventh wicket. Jaker is unbeaten on 18 from 32 deliveries with a four, while Nayeem has 18 from 30 with two fours. Warrican and Chase had left Bangladesh in disarray.
The lead went past 100 when Jaker swept Jomel Warrican for four in the 28th over, making it 75 for six. Jaker, Mominul Haque’s concussion substitute, has shown the patience Bangladesh needed, picking his moments to attack on a wearing pitch.
Nayeem survived a scare on seven. Joshua Bishop bowled on the stumps, the umpire gave lbw, and Nayeem reviewed at once, telling Jaker he had hit it. After several replays, the third umpire found bat before pad.
Miraz fell for nine from 32 balls when Warrican found extra bounce. He lifted his bat to leave a ball outside off, but it came sharply back in and bowled him, repeating his first-innings fate, ending Bangladesh’s last partnership between specialist batters.
Litton Das had gone lbw to Warrican in the first over after tea, for four from 10 balls. The left-arm spinner pitched on leg stump and turned the ball away, hitting the back leg, and a review showed the ball hitting off stump.
Rain forced an early tea at 34 for four after 13 overs, moments after Chase trapped Najmul Hossain Shanto lbw for 10 from 37 balls. Shanto missed the line playing for turn, and a review showed the ball would have hit leg stump.
Chase had earlier taken two wickets in an over, bowling Shadman Islam for 13 after he failed to get in line, then watching Towhid Hridoy swing needlessly and find Jayden Seales at mid-on, leaving Bangladesh 28 for three with Mominul Haque unavailable to bat.
Bangladesh began their second innings 27 ahead but lost Tanzid Hasan for a duck in the second over, closing the bat face early and edging Shamar Joseph to Chase at gully. Shanto batted at three because Mominul Haque was off the field with concussion.
In the morning, West Indies resumed on 134 for four and added 78 runs before lunch, reaching 212 for six after losing Tagenarine Chanderpaul for 56 to Shoriful Islam and Justin Greaves lbw to Nayeem for 46. Chase was unbeaten on 30 at the interval.
Nayeem’s 50th Test wicket, Shamar Joseph under-edging to Litton, made him the quickest Bangladeshi spinner to the mark in terms of balls bowled. Warrican fell lbw in the same over. Earlier Miraz had Bishop stumped for 15, after a spilled chance left Mominul concussed.
West Indies resumed from lunch on 212 for six and were bowled out for 245 in only eight overs, losing four wickets for 33. Nayeem finished with four for 33 from 10.5 overs, handing Bangladesh a 27-run lead. Chase stayed unbeaten on 43.
Another 100 runs would take the target past 200, which would tilt the game towards Bangladesh. A target near 170 would keep it interesting if the tail wags more, in a Test that matters for their World Test Championship final hopes.
In the second innings, Chase has taken three wickets, Warrican two and Joseph one, while Bishop has been wicketless. Warrican had also claimed five for 53 in the first innings, with Bishop and Joseph taking two each when Bangladesh were bowled out for 272.