Kraigg Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood came up with useful contributions with the bat to stretch West Indies’ lead before Alzarri Joseph delivered early strikes as the hosts ended Day 2 of the Antigua Test in a position of strength. Bangladesh trailing the hosts by 112 runs with eight wickets in hand.
For the visitors, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mahmudal Hasan Joy are at the crease.
Earlier, Kraigg Brathwaite’s 94 and Jermaine Blackwood’s 63 helped West Indies take a 162-run lead on the second day of the first Test against Bangladesh, after having bowled them out for 103 on Day 1.
Brathwaite, who began the day on 42 batted brilliantly but fell just six runs short of his century, while Blackwood did well to hold on to one end as wickets fell at the other before being dismissed by Khaled Ahmed.
Their efforts saw them post a first-innings score of 265. Mehidy Hasan Miraz was the pick of the bowlers for Bangladesh, with four scalps to his name.
Brathwaite was can did about his displeasure at getting out six runs short of a well-deserved Test hundred, though it was a crucial innings on a two-paced track that pushed West Indies to a lead of 162.
“When I started the innings, the pitch was a bit slow,” he said. “It got a little harder this morning but still it was on the slow side. But I think it was a decent pitch to bat on. I am obviously disappointed but I am happy that the team has an important lead. I was pleased (with the 94) but the most important thing was to build on a foundation for my team. I was happy with the time I spent. Obviously well done to the team for getting a lead.”
West Indies captains to get out on nervous 90s multiple times in Test cricket :-
3 – Garry Sobers
3 – Brian Lara
2 – Alvin Kallicharran
2* – Kraigg BraithwaiteBraithwaite’s such instances :-
97 vs PAK🇵🇰 at Kingston, 2021
94 vs BAN🇧🇩 at North Sound, yesterday#WIvBAN— Rhitankar Bandyopadhyay (@rhitankar8616) June 18, 2022
Brathwaite added 62 and 63 for the third and fourth wicket with Nkrumah Bonner and Blackwood respectively, partnerships although not too big, were crucial in the context of the game.
“The partnerships were really important. I think the Bangladesh bowlers did really well. Even the spinners held their line really well. The pitch was a little slow but it still had something for the pacers off the surface. I think those were crucial partnerships. I thought we did a good job to get a lead.”
On Day 1, Jayden Seales and Alzarri Joseph struck thrice each, while Kemar Roach and Kyle Mayers picked two wickets apiece to run the Bangladesh batters ragged at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua.
Then, Mustafizur Rahman got John Campbell out for 24 and Ebadot Hossain sent Raymon Reifer packing for 11.
But Kraigg Brathwaite and Nkrumah Bonner took West Indies to within eight runs of Bangladesh’s total at Stumps.
Brief scores: Bangladesh103 & 50/2 (Tamim Iqbal 22; Alzzarri Joseph 2-14)trail West Indies 265 (Kraigg Brathwaite 94, Jermaine Blackwood 63; Mehidy Hasan 4-59, Khaled Ahmed 2-59) by 112 runs.