CHATTOGRAM, Bangladesh, CMC – Interim Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite struck a half-century and featured in two half-century stands but West Indies batting still faltered on the opening day of the three-day tour game against the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI here yesterday.
Opting to bat first at the MA Aziz Stadium, the Caribbean side was dismissed for 257 in the post-tea session, with Brathwaite top-scoring with 85.
His opening partner John Campbell struck 44 while all-rounder Kyle Mayers stroked 40 and tail-ender Alzarri Joseph, 25.
West Indies were hurt by 18-year-old leg-spinner Rishad Hossain who claimed five for 75 while Test seamer Khaled Ahmed snatched three for 46.
Left with eight overs to navigate, the BCB XI ended on 24 without loss, still trailing by 233 runs.
Playing in their only warm-up game before next Wednesday’s start of the first Test, West Indies were given a strong start by Brathwaite who put on 67 for the first wicket with Campbell.
Brathwaite faced 187 deliveries and struck 10 fours while the left-handed Campbell was the dominant partner, punching seven fours and a six off 73 balls.
Campbell was eyeing a half-century when he became the day’s first casualty but left-hander Shayne Moseley, who made 15, joined Brathwaite in a handy 43-run, second wicket stand which carried West Indies to lunch on 89 without further loss.
Unbeaten on nine at the break, Moseley lasted a further 12 balls before perishing in the fifth over after the resumption, bowled by Rishad.
His dismissal triggered a slide that saw West Indies lose four wickets for 21 runs in the space of 56 deliveries.
Nkrumah Bonner survived 15 deliveries before falling to a catch at the wicket off Khaled for two and Jermaine Blackwood followed soon afterwards for nine.
When Kavem Hodge went without scoring, West Indies were tottering on 131 for five but Brathwaite anchored two key partnerships to repair the innings.
First, he put on 34 for the sixth wicket with wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva whose 20 came from 37 balls and included two fours.
Brathwaite then added a further 53 for the seventh wicket with the left-handed Mayers who carved out a characteristically breezy knock with eight fours off 39 balls.
The pair guided West Indies to tea on 186 for six with Brathwaite on 72 and Mayers on 20. Mayers was the first to go after the interval when he was bowled by Rishad in the eighth over and Joseph arrived to play with gay abandon, striking three fours and two sixes in a 28-ball cameo, in a 30-run eighth wicket stand with Brathwaite.
Joseph and Brathwaite fell in successive overs with the score on 248, however, as West Indies lost their last three wickets for just nine runs.
