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1st Dhaka Bank Test Braithwaite’s 2nd Test hundred give West Indies first day honors

Sep 06, 2014 Sports

By Sean Devers in St Vincent in association with Sterling Products Ltd, Universal Sports Store, Payless Varity Store & Carib Beer

An accomplished unbeaten century from 21-year Bajan Kraigg Braithwaite who stroked eight fours in 123, spearheaded West Indies to a commanding position against Bangladesh on the opening day of the first Test match here at the Arnos Vale ground yesterday.
Braithwaite’s second Test hundred and a watchful 64 from Chris Gayle ensured the openers added 116 for the first wicket while Darren Bravo contributed a classy 62 before he give his wicket away with an impetuous drive to mid off to end a 128-run partnership with Braithwaite as West Indies reached 264-3 when rain stopped play with three overs remaining in the day’s play.
If there were flaws to be detected in the West Indies performance yesterday it would be in the running between the wickets and their rate of scoring against a team ranked below them and one without their main spinner, Sohag Gazi who has returned to Dhaka due to a suspect action, especially since the Bangladesh Coach reportedly said he would be satisfied with a draw.
After being asked the bat on a slow straw colored track in sunny conditions, Gayle occupied the crease for 144 minutes, Bravo 159 minutes and Braithwaite 330 minutes to bat out the entire day and with Shiv Chanderpaul (1*) with Braithwaite who has a similar temperament to the 40-year –old Chanderpaul, Bangladesh could expect another long day at the office.
Gayle, who became the third West Indian opener to reach 7,000 Test runs behind Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes, started slowly in his partnership with Braithwaite and by Lunch the team was 103 without loss from 29 overs.
This was a solid start by the Windies against a steady but unpenitrative bowling attack in the opening session of only the third Test match to be played at this ground. Gayle, one of only four batsmen with two triple hundreds in Test cricket, started in watchman like fashion while Braithwaite was his usual sedate self as the pair looked untroubled although Robiul Islam grassed a difficult caught and bowled offer to let off Gayle on 52.
This was after the Jamaican had hammered a boundary off left-arm spinner Taijul Islam on debut. Gayle celebrated with a pugnacious six next ball to post his 37th Test 50 and his 7,000th run at this level.
Braithwaite accelerated towards the end of the first session and was unbeaten 10 short of passing 50 for the sixth time at this level while Gayle was not out on 61. After Lunch, Taijul and Shuvagata Hom operated in tandem and troubled both openers with flight and turn before Gayle missed a sweep at Hom and was struck plumb in front for a calculated 64 (10×4) to leave West Indies on 116-1.
Kirk Edwards (10) pulled Hom for four before using his feet and dumping the off-spinner back over his head for six but he soon got the leading edge to a ball from Taijul that bounced and turned and was taken at silly mid off at 133-2.
By Tea, Braithwaite, who is now a lot more positive in his stroke-play and favored the cut and back punch yesterday, was unbeaten on 89. With him was Darren Bravo, with two tons against Bangladesh including a double, on 17 with the West Indies on 182-2.
After Tea, Braithwaite, playing in his 13th Test, reached his second hundred with a fluent cover driven boundary off Hom. He received a standing ovation from the small but vocal crowd as the Bajan continued his fine form for the year. Braithwaite now joins Brian Lara and Bangladesh’s Tamim Iqbal as the only batsmen with Test centuries on this ground.
Bravo was soon in full swing and majestically drove pacer Al Amin to the cover boundary before sweeping Hom for four as the partnership increased under overcast skies before Bravo gifted his wicket to left-arm spinner Taijul who finished the day with 2-69 from 25 overs.

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