Preview: Bangladesh vs West Indies 2nd Test at Mirpur

The first Test loomed as an intriguing contest, and was set up beautifully. Only for it to be ruined by substandard facilities in regards to a ground in Chittagong, that had dreadful drainage facilities. So the sun shined in the times play was scheduled, but no play was allowed because the Ground was a virtual lake.

Leaving a game, that nearly ended in a result. After just half of the Test being played petering out to a frustrating draw.

So how do the teams shape up in this 2nd Test.

Bangladesh.

Likely Team: The Team performed very well in the 1st Test with the debutante Elias Sunny being a revelation with the ball. Duly there is unlikely to be any changes from the Team from Chittagong

Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Shahriar Nafees, Raqibul Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), Naeem Islam, Nasir Hossain, Elias Sunny, Rubel Hossain, Shahadat Hossain

Chances to win the Test

The Tigers had the West Indies well and truly on the rack. Through their variety of spin bowlers making the Windies batsmen look very silly.

Thus, the key for Bangladesh winning will be the toss. For they go into this game as a favourite, but if they can win the toss and bat first. Even the most fervent believers in the Windies wouldn’t bet bad money on their batsmen surviving the spin arsenal.

To make this a reality, the batting has to do its job. For there is no doubt there is talent in the line up, but most, if not all the batsmen lack temperament. The manner in which Tamim Iqbal and Shakib al Hasan got out in the 1st innings of the 1st Test was unacceptable. Especially, after they had done all the hard work, and had the bowling nearly at their mercy.

The key to winning will be the batting, but the pace bowlers can great aide in the cause greatly by getting initial break throughs. This would set up the spin bowlers perfectly to run through the spin phobic Windies batting line up.

West Indies

Likely Team

The Windies are in a mess. In terms of their batting is just deplorable to be kind, and with little or no clue in how to play spin. Then made worse by a doubt hanging over the head of Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Who is one of the few with a pedigree in playing spin. Assuming everyone is fit, this will be the likely Team

Lendl Simmons, Kraigg Brathwaite, Kirk Edwards, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Darren Sammy (capt), Carlton Baugh (wk), Ravi Rampaul, Fidel Edwards, Devendra Bishoo

Chances to win Test

Unless Bangladesh beats itself, and there is always a huge chance of that happening, I cannot find a way that the West Indies can win this match. This in the knowledge that their batting line up is dreadful to begin with, and made to look even more amateurish when playing against spin bowling.

To stand any chance, their batting just has to find a way to be a factor in the contest. This needs to come from talented players like Darren Bravo, and then the veterans in the vastly diminished Chanderpaul, and the under achiever Marlon Samuels.

Helping in this cause would be batting first before the pitch supports the glut of spinners Bangladesh have.

Then if they can post a meaningful target. The bowling is good enough to dismiss Bangladesh twice. Through a combination of its own skill, and the expected hari kari in the Tigers batting. That is likely to gift a few cheap wickets. Prediction.

Sadly for a life long fan of the West Indies, I cannot see how they have a chance to not only win, but even survive with how weak their batting is. So barring some characteristic Bangladesh madness. They will win the test easily