Windies skipper Kraigg Braithwaite said that their batsmen need to come up with a better game plan if they want to earn success against Bangladesh in the ongoing two-match Test series. Bangladesh spinners wrecked the Windies batting order on both occasions to hand them a 64-run defeat in the opening Test in Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium at Chattogram on Saturday.
The visitors hardly looked comfortable against the four-man spin attack comprising of skipper Shakib Al Hasan, Taijul Islam, Mehedi Hasan and debutant Nayeem Hasan as they were bundled out for 131 runs inside 36 overs, chasing 205 runs to win.
“We didn’t play ourselves as well as we should or could,” Braithwaite told reporters after the loss. “We didn’t put up any good partnership and we lost wickets too quickly. The key is partnerships, whether the top or middle order. We didn’t get partnerships early, so it cost us. The batters have to start better. We have to get bigger totals.”
Braithwaite admitted that he didn’t expect the wicket to deteriorate in the manner that it did on the third day of the play that saw the fall of 15 wickets before tea. Bangladesh, who resumed their innings at 55-5 were bowled out for 125, adding 70 to the overnight score before the spinners took the responsibility to dictate terms in the middle.
“It got worse as the game went on. It was a little easier when the ball got soft. The ball was doing a lot more in the pitch,” Braithwaite noted.
The Windies skipper said that he is willing to back Shimron Hetmyer’s aggressive approach though it never looked to be the perfect ploy considering the requirement. Assuming attack is the best defence on a pitch where survival was the most difficult job, Hetmyer chose to attack but failed to sustain the onslaught. He and Ambris added 33 in a stroke-filled fifth wicket partnership before off-spinner Mehidy Hasan (2-27) broke through, removing Hetmyer for a 19-ball 27. “He bats in that way. He is quite an attacking batsman. Obviously he can attack quite well. Each batsman have their specific game plan, so that’s his game and he did well,” the 25-year-old said.
Braithwaite felt that his side would have had a chance had they restricted Bangladesh to a reasonable score in their first innings. Bangladesh were struggling at 259-8 at one stage before Taijul Islam and Nayeem Hasan added 65 runs for the ninth wicket to take the hosts over the 300-run mark.
