The two Caribbean batsmen, Justin Graves and Kemar Roach, showed everyone how to play with responsibility in the lower order to take the team to the mountain of runs, even though the top batsmen returned quickly. Bangladesh started the second day of the Antigua Test brilliantly. The Tigers picked up two more wickets from the Caribbean earlier in the day.
But the next story is just a disappointment. After losing 7 wickets for 261 runs, Justin Graves and Kemar Roach formed a partnership. Kemar Roach returned with 47 runs, but Justin Graves took the first century of his Test career. West Indies went to the tea break with 415 runs based on his century.
Today (Saturday) West Indies started the second day’s game with 250 of the previous day. Joshua de Silva and Justin Greaves, two unbeaten batsmen of the previous day, went into bat for West Indies. However, pacer Hasan Mahmud stopped this pair in the first over of the second day. Joshua De Silva went back to the dressing room after suffering an LBW by Hasan Mahmud. He scored 14 runs off 23 balls before getting out.
Hasan Mahmud picked up the wicket again in the over after sending back Joshua de Silva. Alzari Joseph became his victim this time. He made his way to the pavilion after scoring only 4 runs off 3 balls and giving a catch to Zakir Hasan in the gully. The hosts lost 7 wickets for 261 runs on his departure.
After losing 7 wickets for 261 runs, Justin Graves continued to fight with Kemar Roach. Picked up a personal half century. Today against Bangladesh he took fifty off 88 balls. The hosts scored 336 runs after losing 7 wickets in 110 overs with 75 runs from this duo.
After the break, these two batsmen continued to play. Even if it rained once in a while, the game did not stop for long. After some time the game starts again. This pair was becoming increasingly dangerous. Finally, Hasan Mahmud brought relief to Bangladesh by returning Komar Roach. Kemar Roach was bowled by Hasan Mahmud and returned to the dressing room. He missed his half century for just 3 runs.
Hasan Mahmud broke the record pair of 140 runs by returning Roach. This is the highest partnership for the eighth wicket in a Test against Bangladesh. Greaves-Roach broke the records of Zimbabwe’s Travis Friend and Heath Streak. In 2001, the friend-streak duo scored 108 at the Bangabandhu Stadium in Dhaka.
Justin Graves brought up the century after the departure of Kemar Roach. This is the first century of his Test career. After bringing up the century, Graves continued to battle with Jayden Sills. As a result, the hosts went to the tea break scoring 415 runs in 139 overs.
Earlier on Friday (November 22), Bangladesh won the toss and sent West Indies into bat at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. West Indies were able to score only 50 runs in the first session due to Taskin’s double hit. But soon after, Mikail Lewis and Alik Athanez were leading the team to a big collection. The pair kept running for an average of two on the way to the century. But Bangladesh did not allow the expectations of both of them to be fulfilled. The bowlers brought relief to the Tiger camp by dismissing two in a nervous ninety in the final part of the day.
As a result West Indies scored 250 runs after losing 5 wickets in their first innings at the end of the first day. At the end, rain hit the match. After the rain stopped, the umpires ended the day’s play after 84 overs in low light.
(Dhaka Times/24 November/NBW)
Source: www.dhakatimes24.com
