NORTH SOUND, Antigua (AP):

BANGLADESH TRAILED the West Indies by 224 runs with just three second-innings wickets in hand at stumps on the fourth day of their first Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua yesterday.

With a set of 333 to win, Bangladesh faltered and found themselves 109-7 at stumps on a day that saw 17 wickets fall, 14 of them to fast bowlers.

Jaker Ali was 15 not out when bad light stopped play for the third day in a row. He shared a 43-run partnership with Mehidy Hasan Miraz (45) on his way to stumps, briefly rekindling Bangladesh’s hopes of playing the match well into the final day.

But Mehidy was out four overs from the end and with his departure the tourists’ brave resistance on the fourth day was finally extinguished.

Kemar Roach led the way for West Indies with 3-20 and Jayden Seales took 3-31.

Roach dismissed Zakir Hasan (0), Shahadat Hossain (4) and Mominul Haque (11) to leave Bangladesh’s innings 23-4.

Mehidy revived the innings in partnerships of 36 with Litton Das (22) and 43 with Jaker. Seales struck to remove Mehidy and Taijul Islam close to stumps, setting West Indies up for victory.

Earlier, West Indies had to stifle a determined comeback from Bangladesh, who surprisingly scored 269-9 on the night and took a first-innings lead of 181 runs.

Taskin Ahmed then took his first five-wicket haul in Tests as West Indies were bowled out for 152 in just over 46 overs.

The right-armer, playing in his 16th Test, posted a career-best 6-64 as Bangladesh kept West Indies’ lead below 350.

Taskin showed the value of bowling line and length on a fourth day at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium as he paced the West Indies line-up in the second session.

West Indies went to lunch at 61-3, in a strong position to make their overall lead formidable.

Taskin dismissed Mikyle Louis (8) and Keacy Carty (3) in the first session and then came into his own to take four more wickets as West Indies were only bowled out at tea.

“It’s very special for me, my first five-wicket haul in Test cricket,” Taskin said. “I’ve had a few chances, but I haven’t made those five before.

“In the first innings I thought I could bowl well, but I learned from the first innings what lengths and lines are good here and I tried to bowl consistently.”

Taskin’s huge effort was wasted as Bangladesh lost Zakir Hasan (0) on the fifth ball of their second innings and Mahmadul Hasan Joy (6) three overs later.

Roach also bowled a demanding line and length to remove Shahadat and Mominul, leaving Bangladesh only a fourth behind in the 13th over.

The 17 wickets that fell yesterday were a single-day record in a Test match in Antigua.