SYLHET, Bangladesh, Nov 8, CMC – With Kavem Hodge’s unbeaten century leading the way, West Indies produced a sublime batting display that essentially gave Bangladesh little chance of pursuing victory in the second and final Test.
Hodge’s brilliant 140, along with half centuries from Kevin Wickham and Brandon King, helped them completely dominate Sunday’s penultimate day of play that saw them close on 345 for three, an overall lead of 315 runs.
Their strong position left Bangladesh needing a miracle if they are to have any chance of winning the match and leveling the two-match series 1-1.
Resuming on their overnight total of seven without loss, West Indies required a herculean effort from their batters to keep the hosts at bay.
They got just that from openers Brandon King and Joshua Da Silva during a 85-run opening stand that helped them erase a 30-run deficit.
Both batters were positive from the start and found the boundary often as they kept the scoring rate at over four runs an over.
King moved into the 40s by cutting spinner Nayeem Hasan for four and then hitting him straight back over his head for six.
But after batting confidently for his 36, Da Silva missed a straight delivery from left-arm spinner Taijul Islam and was adjudged lbw.
In the next over, King brought up a 62-ball half century with a scorching cover drive off Mehidy Hasan Miraz that sped away to the boundary for four.
King was lucky to have been dropped at cover off Islam’s bowling when he was 56, but he did not take advantage of the opportunity as he only added five more runs before edging a delivery from Miraz into the safe hands at first slip on the cusp of lunch to leave the score 119 for two.
Hodge and Wickham carried the Windies to the break at 128 for two, but their play on resumption swung the pendulum in their side’s favour during a 165-run partnership.
Wickham got into his groove by smashing Islam for six over long off and followed up by hitting Miraz for two boundaries in the ensuing over.
Hodge too was quick to punish any loose deliveries. He brought up his half century off 78 balls with a single off Islam, which carried the score to 186 for two.
When Wickham drove pacer Taskin Ahmed through extra cover for four to reach his half century off 68 balls, he became the eighth West Indian to score more than 50 in both innings on debut, and the first since Sewdatt Shivnarine in 1978.
The pair continued to pummel the Bangladesh bowlers and carried the West Indies to tea at 259 for two with Hodge on 93 and Wickham 63.
Hodge quickly moved to 99 by sweeping Islam for four and reached his third Test century off the next ball with a single to fine leg.
Wickham, meanwhile, reached 78 and looked on track to record a big score, before somehow managing to hit a full toss on leg stump straight back to Islam, who took the catch tumbling to his right, to make the score 284 for three.
There would be no further success for Bangladesh, as first innings centurion Amir Jangoo added 61 runs with Hodge to see the Windies tighten their grip on the contest heading into the final day.
Hodge has so far faced 189 balls and struck 17 fours and one six, while Jangoo is not out on 20.
CMC rb/26