Bangladesh pair defy West Indies

Tamim Iqbal and Mominul Haque defied the West Indies through a shortened afternoon session as Bangladesh, set a victory target of 489, reached 2-114 at tea on the fourth day of the second and final Test at the Beausejour Stadium.

Tamim was on 43 and Mominul on 31, the pair featuring in a 66-run third-wicket partnership when a light shower drove the players off the field and the umpires determined that the tea interval on Tuesday would be taken 20 minutes earlier than scheduled.

West Indies had one clear opportunity to separate them but Darren Bravo missed the chance at first slip when Mominul, on 29, edged a delivery from fast bowler Jerome Taylor.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul completed his 30th Test century in the morning session as the West Indies declared their second innings at 269 for four.

Following unbeaten innings of 85 and 84 previously in the series, Chanderpaul’s unbeaten 101, together with 66 not out from Jermaine Blackwood, allowed home captain Denesh Ramdin to close his side’s innings after 45 minutes’ play and set the tourists a daunting victory target of 489.

Bangladesh got off to a flying start in the 15 overs they faced to the interval, Shamsur Rahman taking on Jerome Taylor and hooking the fast bowler for successive sixes over square-leg.

Taylor had the last laugh however when, in attempting to repeat the shot, Shamsur found Kirk Edwards on the square-leg boundary and departed for 39.

Left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn then removed new batsman Anamul Haque to a catch at the wicket but Mominul Haque survived to the interval and will resume in the afternoon session alongside opening batsman Tamim Iqbal.

Resuming at the overnight position at 4-208, and already with a lead of 427, the only real issue was whether Chanderpaul would have gotten to the landmark after missing out in the previous two innings.

But he was not to be denied on this occasion, playing far more positively and extending his love affair with the Bangladeshi bowling in reaching three figures off 134 deliveries with eight fours.

Blackwood also sought to push the score along and duly completed his second half-century in his third Test match.

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