1st Test, Day 2: West Indies on brink of massive win against Bangladesh

July 6, NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – Opener Kraigg Brathwaite stroked his first hundred in nearly a year while Shai Hope passed fifty for the first time in 13 innings, but it was speedster Shannon Gabriel’s devastating four-wicket burst which

However, off the very next ball, Gabriel had the left-hander caught at gully by Hope for 13, sparring at one that bounced and took the shoulder of the bat.

Two balls later, a fired-up Gabriel struck again when he bowled new batsman Mominul Haque without scoring, by one that kept low.

Holder then picked up his first, finding Liton Das’s outside edge for Brathwaite at first slip to take a simple catch and leave the Bangladesh innings in strife at 16 for three.

Captain Shakib Al Hasan (12) and former skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (8) put on 20 for the fourth wicket – the best stand of the innings so far – with both escaping with a couple of streaky boundaries past the cordon.

But Gabriel bowled Mushfiqur playing down the wrong line and in his next over, claimed the prized wicket of Shakib, brilliantly caught low down at third slip by Holder.

Holder accounted for Mehidy Hasan for two in the fourth over before the extended close, nicking one behind which seamed.

West Indies had earlier batted themselves into an impregnable position after resuming the day on 201 for two.

Starting the day on 88, Brathwaite raised triple figures inside the first hour when he cut pacer Kamrul Islam to third man for four, and was unbeaten on 121 at lunch with the Windies on 271 for three.

Nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo was the only casualty of the session, falling for 19 in the second over following the drinks break.

Resuming on one, the left-hander struck two fours in a 79-ball knock while adding 52 for the third wicket with Brathwaite, before missing a defensive prod and losing his off stump to Kamrul.

However, Brathwaite failed to add to his lunch time score , dismissed off the fourth ball following the resumption when he was taken low at cover off left-arm spinner Shakib (2-71), with West Indies adding a single run to their interval total.

All told, Brathwaite faced 291 deliveries in 6-1/2 hours at the crease and counted 11 fours.

The Windies then lost two further wickets cheaply to slide to 288 for six as overall, three wickets perished for 16 runs in quick time.

Roston Chase missed an arm ball from off-spinner Mehidy Hasan (3-101) and was lbw for two and wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich was taken at silly point off Shakib for four.

Holder raised the tempo, belting two fours and sixes, as he added 50 for the seventh wicket with Hope, whose knock required 127 balls, just over 3-1/4 hours and included three fours and a six.

Mehidy eventually had Holder caught at short leg to leave the Windies on 375 for seven at tea but Hope and Roach combined in a 56-run eighth wicket stand afterwards, to further frustrate Bangladesh.

Roach hammered six fours and a six in a cavalier 50-ball knock before Mehidy hit him in front and debutant pacer Abu Jayed finished off the innings by knocking over Hope and Gabriel to end with three for 84.