West Indies 250 for five (Louis 97, Athanaze 90, Taskin 2-46) vs Bangladesh
After the Louis-Athanaze pair fell to the spinners, Justin Greaves and Joshua Da Silva scored freely towards the second new ball in the direction of the top of the day. Play was referred to as off after 84 overs when a drizzle began, whereas the sunshine was not nice both.
Bangladesh’s fast-bowling trio of Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam and Taskin challenged West Indies early within the day, however Louis held his personal. Hasan stored beating him exterior the offstump. Shoriful examined him across the off-stump with the supply all the time threatening to form in. Taskin used the wobble seam, generally bowled the odd yorker, and urgent Louis to fish exterior off-stump.
Shoriful, who bought extra swing from the Sir Curtly Ambrose finish than the Andy Roberts finish, was enjoying his first Check since mid-August. He missed the earlier 5 Assessments however appeared in tune with the crimson ball. He roubled Kraigg Brathwaite, who tried to dig in regardless of the runs not flowing from his bat. Louis in the meantime waited for the brief ball, which bought him two fours with the pull shot.
Taskin then eliminated Brathwaite, trapping him lbw with a touch of inward motion that beat his bat. Taskin then had Keacy Carty caught at mid-on when he could not hold his wristy whip down, ending up as a tame dismissal. Brathwaite made 4 runs in 38 balls, whereas Carty ended on a eight-ball duck.
Louis then discovered Kavem Hodge just a little extra forthcoming as they tried to rebuild the innings. The pair struck 4 boundaries earlier than the lunch break, however then consolidated within the second session.
Louis introduced up his fifty when he struck Taskin with a punch down the bottom for a boundary. Hodge then slapped Taskin with a sq. reduce, however he would not final an excessive amount of longer. Trying a second run off Mehidy’s bowling, Hodge was run out for 25 after Taijul’s throw from lengthy leg had him nicely brief regardless of a dive.
Athanaze made efforts to push the run-rate however he was met with Bangladesh’s continued self-discipline. Within the afternoon, it was the spinners Mehidy and Taijul who stored issues tight. Athanze skied a few balls that fell barely away from the fielder’s attain. Considered one of them, a prime edge in the direction of mid-on might have develop into a catch had Taskin moved barely quicker from mid-on. Athanaze struck Mehidy with a sweep for 4, however could not fairly join along with his a number of reverse sweeps within the second session. Louis, who lifted Taskin for a 4 over the bowler’s head in the direction of the top of the second session, remained principally quiet in his strategy.
Athanaze took the initiative to lift West Indies’ scoring charge after tea. He began the the ultimate session with two square-cut boundaries, earlier than he lastly bought a 4 with a reverse sweep, off Mehidy.
Louis then lofted Mehidy for the primary six of the day, which took him into the eighties. Then, Mehidy dropped Louis at slip when he reached 90. Louis picked up Mahmud for his ninth boundary as he edged nearer to his maiden century, whereas Athanaze opened up on the different finish too.
He swept Taijul earlier than hitting Taskin for consecutive fours within the 71st over, reduce and flicked away. Athanaze then slog-swept Taijul for his first six, after which got here one other reverse-swept boundary.
In opposition to the run of play, Mehidy eliminated Louis, charging at him, caught at slip the place Shahadat Hossain took a great catch. Three overs later, Taijul had Athanaze caught behind. Within the area of 4 runs, each batters have been gone, permitting for a small opening come day two.
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84
