CHITTAGONG: Mehidy Hasan struck his maiden Test hundred as Bangladesh posted 430 runs in their first innings of the first Test against the West Indies in Chittagong on Thursday. The West Indies was 75-2 in reply, captain Kraigg Brathwaite on 49 at stumps and newcomer Nkrumah Bonner on 17 in an unbroken 51-run partnership. The hosts were all out on the stroke of tea break on the second day after Mehidy hit 103 off 168 balls with 13 boundaries. Mehidy was the last man dismissed when he holed out a catch to substitute Kavem Hodge at long on off off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall. Shakib Al Hasan earlier struck 68 as Bangladesh dominated the West Indies’ bowlers to add 188 runs in two sessions after resuming the day’s play at 242-5.
Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican was the top West Indies bowler, claiming 4-133 runs. Warrican struck early in the second day when he bowled overnight batsman Liton Das (38) in the third over of the day. Liton could add just four runs to the overnight score but Shakib and Mehidy seized back the momentum with a 67-run partnership for the seventh wicket. The partnership ended when Shakib played a loose shot off Kraigg Brathwaite at point after hitting five fours in his patient 150-ball knock. The visitors dropped Mehidy at 24 as Shayne Moseley put down a simple catch at silly point off which would have given Warrican a maiden five-wicket Test haul.
The all-rounder made the most of it, forging two other sizable partnerships of 44 and 57 runs with Taijul Islam and Nayeem Hasan respectively. Taijul made 18 before being dismissed by Shannon Gabriel as Joshua Da Silva took a catch behind the stumps. Nayeem made 24 off 46 balls with four boundaries, including three in a single over, before he was bowled by debutant Nkrumah Bonner for his maiden Test wicket. Mehidy swept Warrican to bring his hundred off 160 balls but soon lost his wicket to Cornwall to bring an end to Bangladesh’s innings. Cornwall finished with 2-114 and Mustafizur Rahman was unbeaten on three runs.
