GROS ISLET, St. Lucia (AFP): Four wickets, three to Ramnaresh Sarwan, tumbled in the space of 24 balls to leave Bangladesh in a perilous position in the opening cricket Test against West Indies on Monday. Sarwan removed Mohammad Ashraful, Faisal Hossain and Mushfiqur Rahman in a dramatic half-hour spell in the final period of an action-packed, weather-affected fourth day to leave Bangladesh on 94 for six in their second innings when bad light stopped play nine overs early. The West Indies vice-captain ended with three wickets for 22 runs from eight overs, after the visitors gained a first innings lead of 64 when they dismissed West Indies for 352 in their first innings. Chris Gayle hit the top score of 141 for West Indies and Mushfiqur Rahman was the best Bangladesh bowler with a career best four wickets for 65 runs from 25.4 overs. It was only the third time that Bangladesh had taken a first-innings lead over their opponents in 29 Tests and no doubt they would have been looking to enhance their position with another solid batting performance in the second innings. Two wickets in consecutive overs, one apiece to Fidel Edwards and Pedro Collins, set them back on 21 for two before they spiralled out of control in the final hour. Edwards bowled opening batsman Hannan Sarkar for nine and Collins, his brother, added the wicket of fellow opener Javed Omar, caught down the leg-side for seven glancing an ill-directed delivery. A partnership of 49 for the third wicket between Habibul Bashar, the Bangladesh captain and first innings century-maker, stabilised the innings, but Tino Best, belatedly introduced into the attack, made the breakthrough with his second ball. Bashar, a compulsive hooker and puller, essayed a cross-batted waft at a short ball that rose knee-high, missed the shot, and was bowled for 25 to leave Bangladesh on 70 for three. Next over, Sarwan had Hossain caught at first slip edging a loose drive, but he made a real impact when Ashraful was caught and bowled for one driving back a full toss and, next ball, Mushfiqur was adjudged lbw to a leg-break pitching on leg-stump. Rajin Saleh and Khaled Mashud kept their composure to bat through the last 40 minutes of the day to prevent the West Indies from making any more headway. Earlier, the start of play was delayed by two hours after early morning showers precipitated a wet Beausejour Stadium outfield, but when play commenced West Indies lost their last five wickets for just 40 runs. Only 13 overs were possible in an hour of cricket before the delayed lunch interval arrived with West Indies on 303 for five after continuing from their bedtime position of 262 for five. Bangladesh claimed two wickets, including Gayle, before an afternoon shower prompted an earlier than scheduled tea break. West Indies reached 335 for seven at the break, after Tapash Baisya made the breakthrough when he had Gayle caught at first slip edging a loose drive. The West Indies opening batsman batted 7-1/4 hours, faced 293 balls and struck 17 boundaries in his fifth Test hundred. He and Ridley Jacobs completed a 59-run stand for the sixth wicket to bring some respectability back to the West Indies' total. Left-arm spin bowler Mohammad Rafique added the wicket of Tino Best, who recklessly charged down the pitch, was deceived by the flight of the delivery, and was bowled for three trying to play defensively forward. After tea, Bangladesh needed less than an half-hour to have Collins caught at slip for four off Mushfiqur, Jermaine Lawson caught at second slip for nought off Mushfiqur, and Fidel Edwards lbw to the same bowler to bring a close to the West Indies innings. Scoreboard on the fourth day: Bangladesh 1st Innings 416 (Habibul Bashar 113, Mohammad Rafique 111; P. Collins 4-83) West Indies 1st Innings (overnight 262 for five) D.S. Smith run out (Faisal Hossain) 0 C. Gayle c ¥Habibul Bashar b Tapash Baisya 141 R. Sarwan c Mohammad Rafique b Tapash Baisya 40 B. Lara c wkpr Khaled Mashud b Mushfiqur Rahman 53 S. Chanderpaul c wkpr Khaled Mashud b Mohammad Rafique 7 D.R. Smith c Tareq Aziz b Mohammad Rafique 42 R. Jacobs not out 46 T. Best b Mohammad Rafique 3 P. Collins c ¥Habibul Bashar b b Mushfiqur Rahman 4 J. Lawson c Hannan Sarkar b Mushfiqur 0 F. Edwards lbw b Mushfiqur Rahman 5 Extras (lb3, nb8) 11 Total (all out) 352 Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-89, 3-162, 4-183, 5-253, 6-312, 7-321, 8-336, 9- 342. Bowling: Tapash Baisya 26-5-87-2 (nb1); Tareq Aziz 22-3-95-0 (nb5); Mushfiqur Rahman 25.4-8-65-4; Mohammad Rafique 36-12-90-3 (nb2); Rajin Saleh 6-0-12-0. Overs: 115.4 Bangladesh 2nd Innings Hannan Sarkar b Edwards 9 Javed Omar c wkpr Jacobs b Collins 7 Habibul Bashar b Best 25 Rajin Saleh not out 34 Mohammad Ashraful c and b Sarwan 1 Faisal Hossain c Gayle b Sarwan 2 Mushfiqur Rahman lbw b Sarwan 0 Khaled Mashud not out 8 Extras (lb2, nb6) 8 Total (6 wkts) 94 Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-21, 3-70, 4-73, 5-79, 6-79. Bowling: Collins 7-3-12-1 (nb2); Edwards 7-1-26-1; Lawson 4-0-19-0 (nb4); Sarwan 8-2-22-3; Best 5-1-12-1; Gayle 1-0-1-0. Overs: 32 Position: Bangladesh lead West Indies by 158 runs with four second innings wickets standing. Umpires: J. Lloyds, D. Harper, TV Replays: B. Morgan, Reserve: L. Thomas. Match Referee: R. Mahanama. Reprinted from Caribbean Net News caribbeannetnews.com