Lara's batting worry

Dhaka - Brian Lara expressed concern about his team's batting after the West Indies were restricted to 249 in their first innings on the second day of a three-day match against Bangladesh yesterday.

West Indies were made to struggle at times by Bangladesh's left-arm spinner Enamul Hoque who took five for 57.

At close of play Bangladesh were 59 for three, 39 runs ahead with seven second wicket innings standing.

"I am a bit concerned about [the batting] even though it's just a three-day game," Lara told the Caribbean News Agency (CANA) yesterday.

Medium pace bowler Monjurul Islam was instrumental in halting the march of the West Indian top order, taking the wicket of skipper Lara, who made a quickfire 87 off 76 balls before being clean bowled.

Wavell Hinds, coming in at No. 3 after the wickets of Sherwin Campbell (5) and Adrian Griffith (10) fell cheaply to Islam's pace, made a valuable 70 off 92 balls and together with Lara, put on 133 for the third wicket.

"He is a very good batsman," Lara said of Hinds.

"In Toronto, he batted with some maturity and here in Bangladesh he has played very well."

No other West Indian batsmen was comfortable against Bangladesh's spin and pace attack, as they collapsed and lost their last eight wickets for 100 runs.

Ridley Jacobs (25) and Ricardo Powell (15) were the next highest scorers.

Lara and Hinds both hit eight fours and one six each to take their team's score past Bangladesh's first innings total of 229 by 20 runs.

Bangladesh made only 59 runs for the loss of three wickets in their second innings when bad light stopped play. Lara took a rare wicket just before play was halted.