Test No. 1 – West Indies v Bangladesh – Well done boys! Many questions answered for West Indies!

Nov 18, 2012 Sports

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Colin E. H. Croft
Test No. 1 was a great start for West Indies.  They certainly showed that determination that made them champions in T-20’s, but this time in the most difficult longest version of the game.  Well done, boys!
Despite earlier reservations, West Indies does have the right bowlers to get the right results, for now.  Even as Bangladesh made 556, 1st innings, Tino Best, Ravi Rampaul, Sunil Narine, Veerasammy Permaul, Darren Sammy, augmented by Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels operated well to get this positive result.
There was also much conjecture on eventual West Indies 1st innings declaration at only 527-4.  It seemed quite strange at the time.  Did West Indies believe that they could have dismissed Bangladesh cheaply in its first dig, or was West Indies taking Bangladesh for granted?

With this result, captain Darren Sammy and coach Ottis Gibson should be very well pleased with their fateful decision.  They have come up trumps!
The end justified the means.  Even after being led on 1st innings, West Indies bowled wonderfully well, 2nd innings, especially the effervescent Best, thus justifying that earlier declaration.
Also, pleasingly, like ‘Old Man River’, Shivnarine Chanderpaul still keeps rolling along!   After massive, deserved hoopla of West Indies winning WT-20 2012, “Tiger” missing out, it was great for him to come back to international cricket still with that insatiable hunger, attitude and aptitude for runs.
Before Test No. 1, 38 year old Chanders had already played 144 Tests, 10,342 runs at the highly desirable 50.20 average.  What tremendous consistency that is.  No-one anywhere in cricket likes batting more!
Chanders first double century, also 203no, was made against South Africa, with its pace bowling, at Bourda, back in 2005.   This second double century for the venerable veteran, again left not out, surprisingly again at 203, v Bangladesh, was a good test of his patience and know-how against fairly good spin.
Australia’s Mark Taylor, who had made 334 no., against Pakistan in a Test in 1998, when he, as captain, also declared, insisted afterwards that he did not want to overshadow the greatest Aussie batsman, (Sir) Donald Bradman, who had also made that same highest score, regaling the great man with respect.
Cricket produces delicious mysteries!
Did Chanders, like Taylor, decide to keep to his best score ever, to date, and not get yet another ‘highest score’, or was the declaration as surprising to him as it may have been to others?
At least, Chanders, with this 2nd double hundred, keeps piling on the runs!
‘Tiger’ did not have it all his own way in West Indies 1st innings, certainly not the 2nd innings.  While the veteran played his standard serene innings, scoring at an acceptable strike rate, it was the youngest player of the touring squad, Kieran Omar Akeem Powell, who actually took the bouquets in both innings.
Everyone recognized 22 year old Powell’s talents when he came to full public consumption, playing for Nevis in early Stanford T-20 series.  By then, young as he was, he had already garnered a reputation of being a “basher.”  Hence, his absolute transition to Test opening batsman has been quite admirable.
Chairman of West Indies selectors Clyde Butts would also be silently smiling inside.  He had always suggested that our “KP” was someone special and would eventually come good.
Butts would also know that it has been a very long time since a West Indian opener had made two separate hundreds in a Test!
In 1976, Cuthbert Gordon Greenidge, whose Test record was tremendous – 108 Tests, 7558 runs, avg. 44.72 – completed the great achievement, v England, Manchester – 134 and 101; 2nd and 3rd centuries.
36 years later, it has finally happened again!  Records are meant to be broken.  Magnificent!
Brian Lara was actually the last West Indian to make centuries in each innings.
In 2001, Sri Lanka, showing batsmanship as never before seen, he scored 221 (total 390) and 130 (total 262); 3rd Test.  Five players made “no score” that second innings as Chaminda Vaas had fourteen wickets in the match.  West Indies lost!
Powell’s twin centuries came in only his 12th Test, having 535 runs, average 25.47 before this 1st Test against Bangladesh.
He does have some distance to get to “GG’s” efforts, but with his youth and abilities, it is likely that Powell could play as many Tests, even aspire to be like Shiv; get to 10,000 + runs!
Denesh Ramdin’s 3rd Test century – 126 no. – is also very welcomed.  There had been murmurs that his batsmanship; 1663 runs, 47 Tests, avg. 23.42; was not good enough for modern-day wicketkeepers.  Even in a West Indies team that is so strong in batting, Ramdin needs to score highly regularly.
Sunil Narine got three wickets, 1st innings, for 148 runs, while Rampaul also had three wickets then, for 118.  Both bowled extended spells, for 32 overs each, a very commendable effort.
Narine’s patience is growing well.  As he must have realized by now, and from his exploits earlier this year, Test cricket is not T-20’s.
West Indies have emerged from their 1st Test after winning WT-20 with flying colours.  Well done.  Enjoy!

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