SYLHET, Bangladesh, CMC – Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Test counterpart Joshua Da Silva both squandered golden opportunities to notch their first hundreds of the tour, as West Indies `A’ dominated yesterday’s day one of the final four-day “Test” against Bangladesh `A’.
The left-handed Chanderpaul top-scored with 83 at the top of the order while captain Da Silva chipped in with a fine 82, two of four half-centuries which helped the Caribbean side to 320 for six at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
Alick Athanaze struck 59 and fellow left-hander Raymon Reifer, an unbeaten 56, to further underline the touring side’s dominance after they won the toss and chose to bat.
Nasum Ahmed, a 28-year-old left-arm spinner who has played 40 white-ball internationals, finished with three for 92 while 20-year-old rookie seamer Mushfik Hasan claimed two for 50.
Entering the contest with a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after winning the last “Test”, West Indies `A’ endured a nightmare start when they lost in-form opener Kirk McKenzie without scoring and number three Zachary McCaskie for one, with only two runs on the board in the three over of the morning.
McKenzie feathered a defensive shot behind off one from left-arm seamer Shoriful Islam which held its line while McCaskie, on his West Indies `A’ debut, got turned inside out by a Mushfik leg-cutter and also edged behind.
Any hopes of running through the West Indies `A’ top order were then quickly squashed, however, as Chanderpaul put on 81 for the third wicket with Athanaze before adding a further 132 for the fourth with Da Silva, to stage a recovery.
Chanderpaul struck nine fours and a six in a patient 160-ball stay while Athanaze faced 66 deliveries and counted seven fours and two sixes in a fluent knock before perishing half-hour before lunch, brilliantly caught at slip by Mahmudul Hasan off Nasum, to leave West Indies `A’ 98 for three at the interval.
There was no further erosion following the resumption, Da Silva combining well with Chanderpaul to keep the Bangladesh `A’ bowlers wicket-less in the second session.
Da Silva easily outscored Chanderpaul, transferring the pressure back on Bangladesh `A’s bowlers as he punched a dozen fours and a brace of sixes in a 94-ball knock.
He failed to add to his tea time score with West Indies `A’ on 215 for three, however, yorked by the very first delivery after the resumption from Nasum, leading to a slide which saw three wickets tumble for 45 runs.
Chanderpaul, unbeaten at tea on 71, was caught at the wicket off Nasum and Tevin Imlach missed a straight one from Nasum and was lbw for 10.
Stumbling on 260 for six, West Indies `A’ once again showed their resilience, Reifer provided the rearguard action in a 90-ball innings which has so far featured half-dozen fours and a six.
More importantly, he inspired a 60-run, unbroken seventh wicket stand with Kevin Sinclair (22 not out), which frustrated the hosts’ attempts at further inroads in the final session.
