Tigers face Windies today in two-Test series

NORTH SOUND, July 03 (AFP): West Indies and Bangladesh commence a two-Test series on Wednesday with the hosts expected to continue the trend of greener, bouncier pitches and a pace attack seeking to put the visitors on the back foot from the outset.
Having dropped below the Bangladeshis in the Test rankings to number nine, there is additional incentive for Jason Holder's team to win the series which begins in Antigua and move back up to number eight at the expense of their Asian opponents.
With the second Test to follow at Sabina Park in Jamaica a week later, the tourists would have noted carefully the quality of the playing surfaces for the just-concluded three-Test series against Sri Lanka, which ended on a bowler-friendly pitch at Kensington Oval in Barbados.
The Sri Lankans fought back to achieve a series-levelling four-wicket win, the first time a day/night Test was played in the Caribbean and the first time that a team from Asia had ever won a Test match at that famed venue.
Without ace seamer Mustafizur Rahman, who is still recovering from a toe injury, Bangladesh lack the firepower to match what the West Indies are expected to unleash over the two matches.
Shannon Gabriel, who topped all bowlers in the Sri Lanka series with 20 wickets, including a record-breaking 13 in the second match in St Lucia, will spearhead a pace line-up that will also include Holder, who took nine wickets in the defeat at Bridgetown, and the experienced Kemar Roach.
While Devendra Bishoo will again fill the role of specialist spinner, it is felt that all-rounder Keemo Paul will get the nod over the incumbent Miguel Cummins for the fourth and final seamer's spot.
In contrast, Bangladesh are relying on the experience of Rubel Hossain to challenge what has proven to be a very vulnerable West Indies top-order batting. It remains to be seen if the uncapped Abu Jayed is given the opportunity to share the new ball in conditions which may actually be encouraging for the 24-year-old.
There is no doubt though that the Bangladeshis' main bowling strength at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium will rest in the spin department in the shape of captain and all-rounder Shakib al Hasan, off-break bowler Mehidy Hasan and off-spinning all-rounder Mahmudullah.
Shakib and Mahmudullah are among six players of the present Bangladesh squad with happy memories of their first visit to this part of the cricketing world in 2009 when they dominated the Tests and One-Day Internationals against a West Indies team severely depleted by a standoff between the premier players and the regional administrators.
Bangladesh (probable): Shakib al Hasan (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Liton Das (wicketkeeper), Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Taijul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Abu Jayed.
West Indies (probable): Jason Holder (captain), Kraigg Brathwaite, Kieran Powell, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich (wicketkeeper), Keemo Paul, Devendra Bishoo, Kemar Roach, Shannon Gabriel.