ST GEORGE'S, Grenada (CMC):

With the bitter impasse still hanging over regional cricket, the makeshift West Indies side will go in search of a series-equalling victory when they face Bangladesh in the second and final Test starting at the National Stadium here today.

Hastily assembled less than 48 hours prior to the start of the opening Test in St Vincent last week, the team competed admirably over the first three days before losing the plot and plummeting to a 95-run loss.

The capitulation was perhaps understandable, especially with seven players handed their Test debuts and fast bowler Tino Best being the most experienced of the lot with 12 Tests.

Now, having had their baptism at the hands of the Tigers at Arnos Vale Sports Complex, the second-string side will hope to put that disappointment behind them and hit back over the next five days.

Play for the people

"We are raring to go in this Test match because we know we have to play cricket for the six million people in the Caribbean," captain Floyd Reifer told reporters yesterday.

West Indies have made just one major change to the squad, with Barbadian left-hander Ryan Hinds being called up to join the 14-man unit.

Hinds' inclusion will strengthen the batting which faltered in the opening Test. In the first innings, they wasted a position of 227 for four to be bowled out for 302, losing their last six wickets for 80 runs.

Chasing a victory target of 277 in the second innings, the Windies perished for 181 with only David Bernard Jr getting over 20 with an unbeaten half-century.

"We have to bat better. In the first innings, I thought we could have scored more runs," Reifer pointed out.

"We had a good start. At 228 for four, I thought we could have scored 350 to 400 runs but we fell short.

"Ryan was the best all-rounder in the Caribbean for the last three or four years. He has scored a lot of runs and taken a lot of wickets. He is always a good man to have in your side."

Hinds, who played the last of his 14 Tests against England in March this year, has the ideal opportunity to redeem himself after his four Tests against England earlier this year yielded just 91 runs.

Hopes for big scores

Fellow Barbadian Dale Richards will also want to do the same after soft dismissals in his debut Test, while his opening partner Omar Phillips will want to convert his starts into big scores.

The 22-year-old left-hander narrowly missed out a century on debut when he fell for 94. Experienced first-class batsman Travis Dowlin spent plenty time at the crease during the first Test but had little to show for it and will want to rectify this, while Reifer, too, had starts but failed to carry on.

Best, the fiery 27-year-old pacer, will lead the attack with support from 21-year-old quickie Kemar Roach, who finished with six wickets in his first bite of Test cricket last week.

Bangladesh will be buoyant following their first Test win overseas and only their second overall.

Against an inexperienced Windies side, the Tigers have the ability to bat steadily and, as they showed in the first Test, can use their spin attack to good effect.

Regular captain Mashrafe Mortaza, who played little part in the match because of injury, is expected to miss the match with Shakib Al Hasan tipped to lead the side again.

TEAMS

WEST INDIES - Floyd Reifer (captain), Ryan Austin, Tino Best, Ryan Hinds, Kevin McClean, Travis Dowlin, Nelon Pascal, Omar Phillips, Dale Richards, Kemar Roach, Darren Sammy, Chadwick Walton, David Bernard Jr, Nikita Miller.

BANGLADESH - Mashrafe Mortaza, Shakib Al Hasan, Enamul Haque Jr, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Mahbubul Alam, Mahmudullah, Mehrab Hossain Jr, Mohammad Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahim, Raqibul Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Saghir Hossain, Shahadat Hossain, Tamim Iqbal.