Test stars come to the party on day one against Bangladesh A

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 also 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 first three overs 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 an 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 wicketless 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 teatime 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 providing 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.