Seventeen wickets fall as bowlers dominate first day
GROS ISLET, St Lucia (CMC) – Seventeen wickets fell as bowlers dominated the opening day of the second four-day ‘Test’ between West Indies A and Bangladesh A here yesterday. At the close, the hosts were struggling to get up to the Tigers’ first innings of 155 all out, ending the day precariously perched on 72 for seven.
Pacers Andre Russell (4-42) and Nelon Pascal (4-60) had produced lethal bursts to put Windies A in charge after they won the toss at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.
But chasing what should have been an easy target, Windies A lost wickets steadily, failing to negotiate seamer Farhad Reza (3-17) and left-arm spinner Sohrawardi Shuvo (3-20).
The only batsman to show any resistance was opener Rajendra Chandrika who hit a defiant, unbeaten 30 to help prevent the innings from total collapse.
Danza Hyatt set the tone for the innings when he was caught by Mominul Haque attempting a big hit off Shuvo at 13 for one.
Kyle Corbin managed just five before perishing at the hands of Robiul Islam at 18 for two, and wickets continued to tumble as Shuvo and Reza wreaked havoc.
Reza, who only arrived in the Caribbean this week as a replacement for Alauddin Babu who contracted dengue fever, had earlier bolstered Bangladesh A’s batting with a top score of 39 not out.
He anchored an invaluable 61-run, ninth-wicket stand with Shohag Gazi who stroked 30, after Bangladesh plunged from a comfortable position of 46 for one to 79 for eight.

BANGLADESH A 1st innings
J. Islam c Thomas b Pascal    0
N. Faruque b Pascal    18
S. Hom c Corbin b Pascal    24
R. Hasan b Russell    0
M. Haque c Carter b Pascal    20
N. Hossain c Hyatt b Russell    0
M. Ali c Narine b Russell    7
S. Shuvo c Carter b Russell    0
F. Reza not out    39
S. Gazi c Pascal b Narine    30
R. Islam c Gabriel b Permaul    1
Extras: (b-4, lb-1, nb-11)    16
Total: (all out, 39 overs)    155
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-46, 3-51, 4-60, 5-72, 6-72, 7-72, 8-79, 9-140.
Bowling: Gabriel 7-1-28-0, Pascal 11-2-60-4, Russell 13-2-42-4, Narine 6-0-16-1, Permaul 2-0-4-1.

WEST INDIES A 1st innings
D. Hyatt c M. Haque b S. Shuvo    6
R. Chandrika not out    30
K. Corbin c Mithun Ali b R. Islam    5
N. Bonner c N. Hossain b Shuvo    5
J. Carter b Reza    3
D. Thomas b Reza    0
A. Russell c Mithun Ali b Reza 6
V. Permaul c wkp. J. Islam b Shuvo    9
S. Narine not out    7
Extras: (lb-1)    1
Total: (7 wkts, 35 overs)    72
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-18, 3-31, 4-34, 5-34, 6-40, 7-60.
Bowling: Robiul Islam 9-3-16-1, Farhad Reza 9-4-17-3, Sohrawardi Shuvo 12-3-20-3, Nasir Hossain 1-1-0-0, Shohag Gazi 4-0-18-0.
Position: Windies A trail by 83 runs.