At Sabina Park in Jamaica, Jayden Seales bowled brilliantly throughout the first innings against Bangladesh, taking four wickets at a pitiful economy of 0.30 on Day 2 of the second Test. During the two days of play, he bowled six consecutive maidens, and his final innings numbers were 15.5-10-5-4. Before the hosts lost just one wicket and reached 70/1 at Stumps on Day 2, 94 runs behind, Shamar Joseph (3-49) had claimed three wickets to reduce Bangladesh to 164.
On the second morning, the West Indian bowlers got off to a solid start, bowling a bit fuller to find the available lateral movement. Shahadat Hossain and Shadman Islam’s set batsmen were held in check by Alzarri Joseph and Kemar Roach, who tested them with nip-backers and regularly hit the bat’s outside edge. To fetch boundaries, Shahadat, in particular, punished any overpitched deliveries through the covers. When Shamar hit in his first over of the day, the 73-run resistance was finally broken. Before one kept its line and castled the batter’s stumps, he set up Shahadat, causing the ball to move away.
During his opening burst on Day 2, Seales, who had bowled three consecutive maidens on Day 1, went on to bowl three more. He also claimed a wicket with his third maiden of the day, dismissing Litton Das after he was caught in the slips. Jaker Ali mistimed a short delivery from Shamar that led to a straightforward catch to the ‘keeper, and Shadman kept watching the carnage play out in front of him at the other end. when a few drinks, Shamar scored his third run; this time, the set hitter, Shadman, was caught behind when the bowler caused the ball to veer slightly away. Within 33 balls, the tourists had lost four wickets for 15 runs.
Taijul Islam (16) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (36) persevered for a 41-run stand despite taking some hits to the body. Taijul was caught at third slip after failing to ride the bounce of a short ball, and Alzarri eventually claimed his first of the game. Mehidy hit two boundaries off the side, but Seales came back to dismiss Mehidy and Taskin Ahmed in the same over. Seales appropriately concluded the innings by bowling Bangladesh for 164 after rattling Nahid Rana’s stumps.
The West Indies had a strong yet calm beginning. Mikyle Louis and Kraigg Brathwaite, both batters, trusted their defense and were at ease leaving the ball alone. As the hosts survived a 10-over surge just before tea, the latter then punished overpitched deliveries from Hasan Mahmud over the offside for fours to move the scoreboard along. Louis eventually got off the mark after 28 deliveries.
After Tea, Nahid Rana was brought back, and he routinely reached 150 kmph. Louis attempted a thunderous drive after he persuaded him to do so, but the batter only found the ‘keeper’s outside edge. The West Indian hitters were still being unsettled by Rana, but he was unable to make another breakthrough. Rather, in an 11-run over, Brathwaite hit two consecutive boundaries off him. While Mehidy knocked Brathwaite down at short-cover off the same bowler, Taijul had an instant turn on offer when he got the ball to turn from leg stump to outside off. The West Indian captain was out LBW, but the impact was outside off thanks to DRS’s intervention. The two hitters made it through the last stretch of play as they recorded an undefeated 45-run partnership.
