Test stars Chanderpaul, Da Silva among runs as WI ‘A’ dominate
SYLHET, Bangladesh (CMC) — Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Test counterpart Joshua Da Silva both squandered golden opportunities to notch their first hundreds of the tour as West Indies ‘A’ dominated Tuesday’s day one of the final four-day “Test” against Bangladesh ‘A’.
The left-handed Chanderpaul top-scored with 83 at the top of the order while Captain Da Silva chipped in with a fine 82, two of four half-centuries which helped the Caribbean side to 320 for six at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
Alick Athanaze also struck 59 and fellow left-hander Raymon Reifer an unbeaten 56 to further underline the touring side’s dominance after they won the toss and chose to bat.
Nasum Ahmed, a 28-yearold left-arm spinner who has played 40 white-ball internationals, finished with three for 92 while 20-year-old rookie seamer Mushfik Hasan claimed two for 50.
Entering the contest with a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after winning the last “Test”, West Indies A endured a nightmare start when they lost in form opener Kirk Mckenzie, without scoring, and number three Zachary Mccaskie for one, with only two runs on the board in the three overs of the morning.
Mckenzie feathered a defensive shot behind off one from left-arm seamer Shoriful Islam, which held its line, while Mccaskie — on his West Indies A debut — got turned inside out by a Mushfik leg-cutter and was also edged behind.
Any hopes of running through the West Indies A top order were then quickly squashed, however, as Chanderpaul put on 81 for the third wicket with Athanaze before adding a further 132 for the fourth with Da Silva, to stage a recovery.
Chanderpaul struck nine fours and a six in a patient, 160-ball stay while Athanaze faced 66 deliveries and counted seven fours and two sixes in a fluent knock before perishing half-hour before lunch, brilliantly caught at slip by Mahmudul Hasan off Nasum, to leave West Indies A 98 for three at the interval.
There was no further erosion following the resumption, Da Silva combining well with Chanderpaul to keep the Bangladesh A bowlers wicket-less in the second session.
Da Silva easily outscored Chanderpaul, transferring the pressure back on Bangladesh A’s bowlers as he punched a dozen fours and a brace of sixes in a 94-ball knock.
He failed to add to his tea time score with West Indies A on 215 for three, however, yorked by the very first delivery after the resumption from Nasum, leading to a slide which saw three wickets tumble for 45 runs. Chanderpaul, unbeaten at tea on 71, was caught at the wicket off Nasum, and Tevin Imlach missed a straight one from Nasum and was lbw for 10. Stumbling on 260 for six West Indies A once again showed their resilience, Reifer providing the rearguard action in a 90-ball innings which has so far featured half-dozen fours and a six.
More importantly, he inspired a 60-run, unbroken, seventh wicket stand with Kevin Sinclair (22 not out) which frustrated the hosts’ attempts at further inroads in the final session.