Bangladesh fight to save Sylhet Test as coach Simmons outlines final-day plan

Bangladesh are fighting to save the series against the West Indies in the Sylhet Test. In their second innings the Caribbean side have already taken a lead of more than 300 runs. They have also come out to bat on the final day. Before that, Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons spoke briefly about the team's plan.

The Bangladesh coach said, "Batting last, the fifth day is always difficult. The good thing is the wicket is still playing well, there is no problem with the wicket. We will wait and see what they do. We came out this morning and we will play with our best effort."

Simmons has his eye on how the start goes: "We have to see the situation and what happens in the first hour. Let's see what they do, then we will decide how to play the day's cricket. This is a Test match. You don't want to lose a Test match, you try to save the match."

From the start of the fourth day yesterday, the two Caribbean openers were aggressive. Brandon King and Joshua Da Silva put together an 85-run partnership. Although the Bangladeshi pacers had created a storm of pace and swing in the first innings, the West Indian batters gave them no quarter in the second innings.

Spinners Taijul Islam and Mehedi Hasan Miraz twice struck back against the visitors, who had been batting aggressively from the start. Taijul and Miraz had been criticised for ineffective bowling even on the spin-friendly wicket in Mirpur. But the first success of the day came through Taijul Islam.

Da Silva was out LBW off his bowling for 36 runs. The visitors' opening partnership was broken. By then, however, they had already taken a 55-run lead.

Even after his opening partner departed, King completed the sixth fifty of his Test career. The second-wicket partnership was also progressing quickly. Miraz provided the breakthrough by breaking that 34-run stand.

He dismissed King, who had made 61 runs, with a catch to Shanto at slip. Trying to defend while stepping forward, the ball took the outside edge of King's bat and went to slip. That wicket, before the lunch break, was some relief for Bangladesh.

The third-wicket partnership was even bigger. Kavem Hodge, together with Kevin Wickham, dominated the Bangladeshi bowlers. The two put together a big partnership.

All in all, Bangladesh face a tough test on the final day to save the series. In coach Simmons' words, the first hour's play will decide the plan for the final day.