FRAGRANT VICTORY | World sport

Veteran Kemar Roach and his protégé Jayden Seales grabbed three wickets each to put the West Indies in prime position to push for victory against Bangladesh on an eventful penultimate day of the first Test where 17 wickets fell.

The performances of Roach and Seales made up for a poor batting performance in the second innings by the Windies and overshadowed a spectacular display by Bangladeshi fast bowler Taskin Ahmed, who achieved a career-best six-wicket haul.

After the visitors had surprisingly declared their overnight total of 269 for nine to concede a first innings lead of 181 runs, Ahmed then took 6-64 to bowl West Indies out for just 152 to give Bangladesh a slim chance of get a come-from. -behind victory.

But chasing 334, Roach and Seales almost bowled the home side to victory by restricting their opponents to 109 for seven before poor light ended play early on yesterday’s penultimate day.

Now in the twilight of his career, the 36-year-old Roach gave the West Indies the perfect start when the fifth ball of the innings to Zakir Hasn deflected the inside of his bat and crashed into the stumps with just one run on the board.

Seales then increased the pressure by having Mahmudul Hasan Joy caught at third slip by Justin Greaves after the opener played a wide delivery away from his body to leave Bangladesh seven for two.

Roach claimed his second wicket at review after umpire Kumar Dharmasena had initially given Shahadat Hossain not out following an appeal.

However, the replay showed that the ball had brushed Hossain’s glove on its way through to the wicketkeeper to see the visitors slide further into trouble at 20 for three.

Pacer Shamar Joseph was unlucky not to have dismissed Mominul Haque on two occasions in the same over. First, wicketkeeper Joshua DaSilva wasted a tough chance to dive to the leg side and with his very next delivery, Mikyle Louis took an easy catch at gully.

The missed chances proved not to be costly though as Roach completed a stunning return catch in the next over to account for Haque after he scored 11 to leave the visitors in dire straits at 23 for four.

Captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Litton Das tried to rebuild the innings in a 36-run stand until Shamar Joseph was deservedly awarded when he coaxed Das to pull a delivery straight into the hands of Alzarri Joseph at deep backward place.

Miraz and Jaker Ali frustrated the West Indies during a 43-run partnership that took the visitors past the 100-run mark.

But soon after doing so, Miraz flirted with a ball outside off-stump and was brilliantly caught by a diving DaSilva off the bowling of Seales for a well-played 45 from 46 balls.

Seales then clean bowled Taijul Islam for four to give the West Indies hope of finishing the match on the fourth day at 108 for seven before poor light eventually had the final say. Roach has taken 3-20 so far, while Seales finished with 3-31.

Earlier, Ahmed led a Bangladesh comeback with a classic spell of pace bowling. Ahmed had both Mikyle Louis and Keacy Carty caught behind the wicket, while Shoriful Islam dismissed West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite for 23 to score 39 for three.

Ahmed also accounted for the wickets of Kavem Hodge for 15, first-innings centurion Justin Greaves for two, before returning to finish off the tail by taking the last two wickets of Shamar Joseph and Kemar Roach, to leave the game interestingly poised heading in in the final session.