Reifer, Da Silva shine in final day draw
CHATTOGRAM, Bangladesh, CMC – All-rounder Raymon Reifer and Joshua Da Silva produced solid performances to highlight the final day of the drawn threetour match against the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI here yesterday.
In the final warm-up before the first Test on Wednesday, Reifer struck an unbeaten 49 while Da Silva weighed in with 46 to get West Indies up to 291 in their second innings.
Left-arm seamer Reifer then picked up the only wickets to fall as the BCB XI, set 389 for victory, reached 63 for two.
The hosts were tottering on 14 for two after Reifer struck in successive overs but opener Yasir Ali (33 not out) and Shadman Islam (23 not out) consolidated in an unbroken third wicket stand worth 49.
Resuming from their overnight 179 for five at the MA Aziz Stadium, West Indies lost Nkrumah Bonner in the day’s fourth over before he had added to his 80, caught at the wicket off seamer Khaled Ahmed (3-42).
And when Rahkeem Cornwall perished for four just three overs later, West Indies were tottering on 190 for seven but Reifer and Da Silva calmly pulled the innings around in an 82-run, eighth wicket stand.
The left-handed Reifer counted five fours and a six off 94 deliveries while Da Silva, yet to score overnight, faced 116 deliveries and hit three fours.
They took the Caribbean side to lunch on 258 for seven but Da Silva, unbeaten on 39 at the interval, fell inside the first half hour following the resumption with a well-deserved half-century in sight.
Reifer missed out on his half-century too as West Indies lost their last three wickets for 19 runs in 36 deliveries.
New ball seamer Mukidul Islam, 20, grabbed two of the last three wickets to finish with four for 59 while 22-year-old off-spinner Saif Hassan supported with two for 45.
West Indies face Bangladesh in the opening Test at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium here.