Bangladesh continued to endure the long, hard, futile grind and feel the weight of Ramnaresh Sarwan’s bat when the West Indies vice-captain completed a maiden Test double hundred on the third afternoon of the second and final cricket Test on Sunday.
At the tea break, the West Indies, replying to Bangladesh’s first innings total of 284, were 501 for four with Sarwan undefeated on 227, his highest Test and first-class score, and left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul unbeaten on 81.
Sarwan, in the midst of his fifth Test hundred, deflected a wayward delivery just outside the line of leg stump from Rajin Saleh to deep fine leg for two to reach his landmark.
He has struck 27 boundaries from 371 balls in just under nine hours. Chanderpaul, who played a lofted straight drive off Manjural Islam Rana to reach his half-century, was eyeing his 10th Test hundred.
He has faced 155 balls in just less than four hours. Chanderpaul has supported Sarwan throughout a stand of 204, unbroken, for the fifth wicket that has fortified the West Indies’ position.
The day had started brightly for Bangladesh when they removed nightwatchman Tino Best in the third over of the morning after the West Indies continued from their bedtime position of 294 for three.
But Best’s dismissal bore no testimony to what was around the corner for the visitors, after Tapash Baisya had the West Indies fast bowler caught behind for four touching a short, rising ball to give Khaled Mashud his third dismissal — all catches — in the West Indies’ innings.
With a hard, true Sabina Park pitch under foot and hot, sunny conditions overhead, Bangladesh have not been able to make a breakthrough since, as Sarwan, in particular, and Chanderpaul continued to plunder the bowling after taking West Indies to 389 for four at lunch.
Tareq Aziz, Tapash and Mohammad Rafique have been the wicket-takers for Bangladesh. The two-Test series is tied 0-0 after the opening Test was drawn at Gros Islet. — Sapa-AFP