Kemar Roach rocked Bangladesh early, but West Indies’ poor catching denied the home team a few more wickets on the truncated first day of the Kingston Test.
Bangladesh finished on 69-2, with Shadman Islam and Shahadat Hossain unbeaten on 50 and 12, respectively.
It could have been much worse had the West Indies fielders not dropped three catches quickly.
The match began at 3pm local time, five hours after the scheduled start of play, due to the wet outfield at Sabina Park.
The delayed start forced Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz to bat first on a sunny day where only 30 overs were possible.
The visitors, however, lost two wickets early in the first half an hour.
Mahmudul Hasan Joy was the first to be dismissed, caught behind for two, with wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva taking a fine diving catch.
Roach then removed Mominul Haque with a delivery that swung into the left-hander from around the wicket, before leaving and taking the edge.
It was Mominul’s fourth duck in the West Indies, as Roach picked up his 50th wicket against Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s batters looked ripe for the picking, but the West Indies players didn’t back their fast bowlers with their fielding.
Alick Athanaze dropped Shadman on 15 when he drove in front of first slip but couldn’t hold on to the chance. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite then dropped Shadman on 35 at cover.
Then came the comical drop when Jayden Seales drew Shahadat’s edge with the batter on eight.
The ball burst out of Athanaze’s grip and went towards Kavem Hodge at first slip, who spilled the rebound, which then fell out of Athanaze’s reach as he tried to collect to the ball.
The slow outfield after the rain hampered the run flow as well. Shadman struck three fours and a six in his 100-ball stay. Shahadat edged one boundary.
Many of their forceful shots however were stuck near the boundary rope.
Bangladesh would however not mind the way this batting pair stuck it out for a couple of hours after a poor start. (ESPNcricinfo)
