DHAKA, Bangladesh, CMC – Opener Kieran Powell became the ninth West Indian and the first in over a decade to score a century in each innings of a Test but West Indies lost a clatter of late wickets to leave the opening Test against Bangladesh delicately poised here yesterday.
The left-hander stroked 110 to follow up his first innings 117 while Darren Bravo fashioned a typically classy 76 as West Indies, led by 29 runs on first innings, cruised to a commanding position 209 for one in the final session at the Shere Bangla Stadium.
Things quickly fell apart in the final hour, however, with five wickets tumbling for 35 runs as the tourists limped to the close at 244 for six, a lead of 215 runs entering Saturday’s final day.
The damage was done by experienced left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan (2-56) and off-spinner Sohag Gazi (2-63) who picked up two wickets apiece.
Earlier, Bangladesh were bowled out for 556 after resuming the day on 455 for six, with Nasir Hossain falling agonisingly short of a hundred for 96 and Mahmudullah converting his overnight 42 into a well played 62.
Off-spinner Sunil Narine took three of the four wickets to fall to finish with three for 148 while fast bowler Ravi Rampaul claimed three for 138 and medium pacer Darren Sammy, two for 83.
For Bangladesh, it was only the ninth time in 74 Tests they had taken first innings lead in a Test.
Powell and Chris Gayle safely navigated the four overs before lunch but Gayle’s innings was short-lived on resumption. He looked to be getting into stride when he cleared long-on with Gazi in the second over after the break but eight balls later, he nicked an out-swinger from seamer Rubel Hossain to depart for 19 with the score on 20 for one.
Powell and Darren Bravo then took centre stage with a fascinating exhibition of stroke-play, adding 189 for the second wicket, to deny the Bangladeshi bowlers any further success.
Put down by Junaid Siddique at slip off seamer Shahadat Hossain when 17, the left-handed Powell recomposed himself to unfurl a series of lovely strokes, mainly rasping off-side drives.
He struck 12 fours and a six – a lofted drive over extra cover off Shakib – in an innings that lasted 197 balls and a shade over four hours.
Bravo was imperious on the attack, crafting several classical cover drives and sizzling cuts, as he counted fours off 110 balls in three hours at the crease. Powell reached triple figures in style, taking three boundaries from Rubel Hossain’s first over of a new spell. He stroked the first one back past the bowler, punched the second one wide of mid-on and steered the third to third man.
The 22-year-old is the first West Indian to score centuries in either innings of a Test since Brian Lara’s achievement against Sri Lanka in Colombo 11 years ago.
He also joined an illustrious list that includes George Headley, Sir Garry Sobers and Sir Clyde Walcott.
Bravo was eyeing his fourth Test century when he wafted lazily at a wide one in Rubel Hossain’s next over and nicked a catch behind at 209 for two.
His dismissal triggered a now familiar slide as the Windies innings plunged into turmoil. Marlon Samuels made one before he popped the fourth ball he received in the next over from Sohag Gazi to forward short leg where Shahriar Nafees took an easy catch. Powell’s innings then ended when he edged a catch behind after misjudging one from Shakib that straightened, and Denesh Ramdin played around a delivery that came in and was palpably lbw to the same bowler for five.
There was still time for yet another scalp and Sohag Gazi delivered, breaching Veerasammy Permaul’s defence to bowl the right-hander for ten with what proved to be the day’s final delivery.
Scoreboard
WEST INDIES 1st innings 527 for four decl. (S Chanderpaul 203 not out, D Ramdin 126 not out, K Powell 117)
BANGLADESH 1st innings
(overnight 455 for six)
Tamim Iqbal c Narine b Sammy 72
Junaid Siddique c Bravo b Rampaul 7
Shahriar Nafees c wkp Ramdin b Rampaul 31
Naeem Islam c wkp Ramdin b Sammy 108
Shakib Al Hasan c sub (A Fudadin) b Rampaul 89
*+Mushfiqur Rahim c & b Permaul 43
Nasir Hossain c Gayle b Best 96
Mahmudullah c Powell b Narine 62
Sohag Gazi b Narine 4
Shahadat Hossain b Narine 13
Rubel Hossain not out 0
Extras (b8, lb12, w3, nb8) 31
TOTAL (all out; 148.3 overs) 556
Fall of wickets: 1-25 (Junaid Siddique), 2-88 (Shahriar Nafees), 3-119 (Tamim Iqbal), 4-286 (Shakib Al Hasan), 5-362 (Naeem Islam), 6-368 (Mushfiqur Rahim), 7-489 (Mahmudullah), 8-493 (Sohag Gazi), 9-554 (Nasir Hossain), 10-556 (Shahadat Hossain)
Bowling: Rampaul 32-2-118-3 (nb4), Best 2-3-77-1 (w3), Sammy 23-3-83-2, Narine 32.3-5-148-3 (nb2), Permaul 29-7-75-1, Gayle 3-0-14-0, Samuels 6-0-21-0.
WEST INDIES 2nd innings
C Gayle c wkp Mushfiqur Rahim b Rubel Hossain 19
K Powell c wkp Mushfiqur Rahim b Shakib Al Hasan 110
D Bravo c wkp Mushfiqur Rahim b Rubel Hossain 76
M Samuels c Shahriar Nafees b Sohag Gazi 1
+D Ramdin lbw b Shakib Al Hasan 5
*D Sammy not out 15
V Permaul b Sohag Gazi 10
Extras (b1, lb3, nb4) 8
TOTAL (6 wkts, 64.5 overs) 244
To bat: S Chanderpaul, S Narine, T Best, R Rampaul
Fall of wickets: 1-20 (Gayle), 2-209 (Bravo), 3-212 (Samuels), 4-218 (Powell), 5-225 (Ramdin), 6-244 (Permaul)
Bowling: Sohag Gazi 18.5-2-63-2, Rubel Hossain 14-4-35-2 (nb2), Mahmudullah 3-0-12-0, Shahadat Hossain 7-1-34-0 (nb2), Shakib Al Hasan 11-2-56-2, Naeem Islam 8-0-22-0, Nasir Hossain 3-0-18-0.
Position: West Indies lead by 215 runs.
Toss: West Indies.
Umpires: R Illingworth, B Oxenford; TV – Enamul Haque.
