Roach ties Holding on all-time wicket list
Bowls West Indies to the brink of first Test win, despite batting stumble
Published:Sunday | June 19, 2022 | 12:16 AMLennox Aldred - Gleaner Writer
FAST BOWLER Kemar Roach continues to climb the vaunted list of fast-bowling legends from the Caribbean, joining Michael Holding on 249 Test wickets after bagging his 10th fiver against Bangladesh in Antigua at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium yesterday.
Roach claimed five for 53 to help dismiss Bangladesh for 245. However, the hosts who were set 84 runs to win, stuttered to 49 for three at stumps, still needing 35 for victory with seven wickets in hand entering today’s fourth day.
The third day’s play, however, belonged to Roach, who ran through the Bangladesh middle and lower order, despite some resistance from captain Shakib Al Hasan and wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan who both hit half-centuries.
After resuming on 50 for two in their second innings, the Bangladeshis were further pegged back in the morning session following a double blow by medium-pacer Kyle Mayers.
Roach then got in on the act and he too claimed two quick scalps to leave the visitors staring down another paltry total at 109 for six.
USEFUL PARTNERSHIP
Skipper Shakib would, however, find a useful partner in wicketkeeper Nurul, and the pair would frustrate the Windies bowlers with a 123-run seventh-wicket stand.
Shakib got to his half-century just before tea off 82 balls with four fours, while Nurul brought up his 50 after the interval off 110 balls with eight boundaries.
It took the introduction of the new ball to break the partnership, and Roach obliged by sending back the pair within six runs of each other.
First, he had Shakib caught at cover by his opposite number, Kraigg Brathwaite, for 63, then he had Hasan caught behind for 64.
After Alzarri Joseph took care of Mustafizur Rahman for seven, Roach claimed his 10th Test fiver, wrapping up the innings with the wicket of last man Ebadot Hossain for one.
“I am so proud to have equalled Holding’s feat of 249 Test wickets. He is a legend of the game and to do that goes to show that I am pretty much up there as well. It is a good feeling and I want to keep going as much as I can and I feel I have some more wickets in me,” said Roach.
Set 84 for victory, the home side would have the worst possible start to their reply, with pacer Khaled Ahmed bagging three quick wickets to peg back the West Indies who were reeling at nine for three.
Opener John Campbell and vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood then steadied the nerves for the hosts following a 40-run fourth-wicket partnership.
Campbell will resume today on 28 and Blackwood 17 with the Windies still needing 35 runs.