NORTH SOUND, Antigua and Barbuda (AFP) — Veteran pacer Kemar Roach’s enduring quality and consistency put the West Indies within 35 runs of victory over Bangladesh going into the fourth day of the first Test.

His five for 53 from 24.5 overs in the Bangladesh second-innings total of 245 looked, briefly, as if it would be overshadowed though by a stunning West Indies collapse in pursuit of a modest target of 84 as the hosts slipped to nine for three late on the third day, Saturday.

Those three wickets by seamer Khaled Ahmed — he removed Captain Kraigg Brathwaite, Raymon Reifer and Nkrumah Bonner in quick succession — lit a fire under the Bangladeshis.

Although opener John Campbell and fellowJamaican Jermaine Blackwood avoided any further alarm in taking the score to 49 at the close, the visitors will still be clinging to hopes of more miraculous events on Sunday morning.

Their spirit and energy in that final passage of play was probably sparked by a 123-run, seventh-wicket partnership between Captain Shakib Al Hasan (63) and wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan (64) just a couple hours earlier, which saved the tourists from the ignominy of an innings defeat.

They had come together just before lunch at 109 for six and proceeded to frustrate the West Indies through the entire afternoon session.

It took the new ball and the persistence of Roach to separate them after tea, with the Barbadian taking three of the last four wickets for his 10th five-wicket innings haul in Test cricket.

His dismissal of Ebadot Hossain, uprooting the tailender’s middle-stump, to end the innings was also his 50th Test wicket at the venue, the most by any bowler.

He also drew level with Michael Holding on 249 wickets for joint-sixth position on the list of all-time leading West Indies wicket-takers in Tests.

Roach had bowled an opening spell without success, however, at the start of the day when Bangladesh resumed their innings at 50 for two, and it took the clever variations of seam bowling all-rounder Kyle Mayers to effect the first strikes in having Najmul Hossain caught at first slip and struggling former Captain Mominul Haque trapped leg-before.

“Trying to make the batsmen play at every delivery and utilising the conditions are really strong points for me — and those tactics worked again today,” said Mayers.

“Kemar is a role model for me and the rest of the guys. He gives 100 per cent every time he goes onto the park and he is always looking to perform. I wish him all continued success and hope he goes on to get 300 Test wickets.”

Roach added to those early successes by Mayers in dismissing Liton Das and opening batsman Mahmudul Hasan for a hard-fought 42, and it seemed the match would all be over by mid-afternoon with a comprehensive innings victory for the home side.

However Shakib, even though he remained prone to indiscretion, and Nurul displayed the sort of character and effort that have been missing from most of their team’s efforts in this Test, with the captain completing his 29th Test half-century and the wicketkeeper-batsman notching his second.

Frustrated by their lack of effectiveness with the older ball, Brathwaite wasted no time in taking the new ball as soon as it became due after 80 overs just after tea.

There was almost immediate reward when Shakib miscued a drive at Roach straight to the West Indies captain at short extra-cover.

That was effectively the end of the resistance as Nurul fell to Roach two overs later.

Alzarri Joseph scattered the stumps of Mustafizur Rahman but it was left to Roach to complete the job, and he did so in style — to much acclaim and appreciation from his delighted teammates.

Scoreboard

Bangladesh 1st Innings – 103

West Indies 1st Innings – 265

Bangladesh 2nd Innings (overnight 50-2)

Tamim Iqbal c da Silva b Joseph 22

Mahmudul Hasan c da Silva b Roach 42

Mehidy Hasan c Mayers b Joseph 2

Najmul Hossain c Campbell b Mayers 17

Mominul Haque lbw b Mayers 4

Liton Das c Mayers b Roach 17

Shakib Al Hasan c Brathwaite b Roach 63

Nurul Hasan c da Silva b Roach 64

Ebadot Hossain b Roach 1

Mustafizur Rahman b Joseph 7

Khaled Ahmed not out 0

Extras (b2, lb1, nb1, w2) 6

Total (90.5 overs, all out) 245

Fall of wickets: 1-33 (Tamim Iqbal), 2-35 (Mehidy Hasan), 3-64 (Najmul Hossain), 4-75 (Mominul Haque), 5-100 (Liton Das), 6-109 (Mahmudul Hasan), 7-232 (Shakib Al Hasan), 8-238 (Nurul Hasan), 9-245 (Mustafizur Rahman), 10-245 (Ebadot Hossain)

Bowling: K Roach 24.5-10-53-5, J Seales 14-1-45-0, A Joseph 19-6-55-3, K Mayers 13-3-30-2, G Motie 15-2-42-0, R. Reifer 5-1-17-0

West Indies 2nd Innings

K Brathwaite c Nurul Hasan b Khaled Ahmed 1

J Campbell not out 28

R Reifer c Nurul Hasan b Khaled Ahmed 2

N Bonner b Khaled Ahmed 0

J Blackwood not out 17

Extras (lb1) 1

Total (15 overs, 3 wkts) 49

To bat: K Mayers, J da Silva, A Joseph, K Roach, G Motie, J Seales

Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Brathwaite), 2-3 (Reifer), 3-9 (Bonner)

Bowling: Mustafizur Rahman 4-1-7-0, Khaled Ahmed 5-0-14-3, Mehidy Hasan 2-1-10-0, Ebadot Hossain 2-0-14-0, Shakib al Hasan 2-0-3-0

Toss: West Indies

Umpires: Joel Wilson (WIS), Chris Gaffaney (NZL)

Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)