Tigers wobble once more

The ghost of Antigua seemed to have visited the Bangladeshi cricketers in Jamaica as the Tigers' batting once again wobbled while facing quality fast bowling from West Indies in the second afternoon of the second Test at Sabina Park in Kingston yesterday. The visitors were in trouble at tea on 91 for four and a first-innings deficit of 262 runs after their bowlers had wrapped up the West Indies innings in the morning for 354 with Mehedi Hasan Miraz taking his fourth five-wicket haul.

Opening batsman Tamim Iqbal rode his luck and was unbeaten on a hard-fought 40 off 83 balls with five fours and Mushfiqur Rahim had just joined him and was not out on four.

Bangladesh suffered a double blow at the start of the innings after opener Liton Das went for a flick to an angling Shannon Gabriel delivery and missed the line of the delivery to be leg-before for 12. However, replays showed the ball was going down leg.

Just one delivery later it was Mominul Haque who edged to gully going for a drive away from the body against an away-going delivery to leave Bangladesh struggling on 20 for two inside seven overs.

West Indies pacer Shannon Gabriel. Photo: AFP

Tamim at the other end had his hairy moments; the left-hander was floored by a well directed in swinger from Gabriel in the very first ball of the innings.

The left-hander survived twice -- first on seven when he was given leg-before off a Miguel Cummins delivery but Tamim reviewed the decision, which showed the ball pitched just outside leg stump.

He later benefited from a missed chance behind the wicket when on 30 as an edge off off-spinner Roston Chase went past Devon Smith at slip.

Skipper Shakib AL Hasan joined Tamim and tried to keep things calm, adding 59 runs for the third wicket until the Tigers faced another double blow.

It was West Indies skipper Jason Holder this time as he dismissed Shakib, who went for a loose cut close to the body and chopped on to the stumps after scoring 32 off 53 balls.

Just a delivery later, Mahmudullah followed when he was caught in the crease to an incoming delivery from Holder, leaving the Tigers on 79 for four and fearing yet another batting collapse.

Earlier however, Bangladesh started the second day with a better approach with the ball. Pacer Abu Jayed gave the early breakthrough to dismiss Shimron Hetmyer for the addition of just two runs to his overnight score of 84.

The right arm seamer went on to pick two more wickets while off spinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz picked up consecutive wickets in an over to register his fourth five-wicket haul as West Indies were all out for 354, losing their last six wickets for the addition of just 49 runs after resuming on 295 for four.