Bangladesh recover to reach 264

Bangladesh 264 for 9 (Rajin Saleh 47, Banks 4-80) v West Indies
Scorecard

Bangladesh fought back on the first day of the second Test at Kingston, finishing with 264 for 9 after winning the toss. Considering they were rocking at 145 for 6 at tea, this represented a fine comeback - and is worrying for Brian Lara, who has said he will step down as captain if West Indies fail to win this match and clinch the short series.

None of the Bangladeshis passed 50, but as in the first Test the lower order dug in determinedly, and collected 119 in a final session elongated by half-an-hour by West Indies' tardy over rate. Khaled Mashud and Mohammad Rafique, who scored centuries from Nos 8 and 9 in St Lucia, batted solidly again, and there was the bonus of a bright undefeated 34 from Tapash Baisya as the West Indian bowlers tired.

It was a good response after yet another terrible start. Hannan Sarkar, for the third time in four Tests against West Indies, was dismissed by the first ball of the match. Pedro Collins was again the bowler - he bowled Sarkar at Dhaka in 2002-03, and trapped him lbw in the first Test in St Lucia. This was a carbon copy of last week's one: Collins arced down an inswinger, Sarkar left it alone, and it thudded into the pads in front of off stump.

Habibul Bashar temporarily steadied the ship with some forthright blows, cutting Collins's next ball for four and collecting another in his next over. But Collins struck back, having Bashar caught at gully by Omari Banks for a brisk 20 off a skyed pull (37 for 2).

Javed Omar also made 20 before falling to Fidel Edwards (54 for 3), but Bangladesh made it to lunch without further alarms. Thee was a wobble shortly afterwards, though, as Mohammad Ashraful fell to Banks for 16 and Manjural Islam wafted firm-footedly at Tino Best and was caught low down by Ridley Jacobs (97 for 5). It was the only victim of the day for the unlucky Best, who consistently nudged the 90mph barrier. Banks, on the other hand, finished with 4 for 80 - and three catches - and showed West Indies what they had been missing these past few months while he recovered from injury. Tall and slim, like a latterday Lance Gibbs, Banks was tidy all day.

In the past Bangladesh have often collapsed in this sort of situation, but this team is finally living up to their Tigerish nickname. Rajin Saleh, still only 20, dropped anchor for three-and-a-half hours, hitting six fours in an obdurate 47 before popping a return catch to Banks (152 for 7). Mashud put on 40 for the eighth wicket before the left-handed Rafique (30) drove uppishly to mid-off, and then Mashud himself squirted Edwards out to point after another handy contribution of 39 (238 for 9).

Tapash, who finished with a flourish by carving Best to the cover boundary when he overpitched in the final over, hung in with Tareq Aziz to ensure that Bangladesh would bat again on the second morning. Dav Whatmore, their coach who is missing this game after flying home for a family funeral, will be a proud man after this rearguard effort.