Bangladesh hopes hit by Sarwan's first Test century

Bangladesh 139 West Indies 400-5

Two and a half years since he burst into international cricket, aged 19, with an unbeaten 86 against a Pakistan attack led by Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, Ramnaresh Sarwan finally completed his first Test hundred on the second day of the first Test against Bangladesh here yesterday.

The right-hander's 119, with 19 fours, ended a wait of 28 Tests and 49 innings as he shared a partnership of 176 with the 21-year-old Marlon Samuels. The partnership was the core of a total of 400 for 5 that gives the West Indies a lead of 261 over Test cricket's weakest team, whose 15th defeat in their 16 Tests is all but inevitable.

However, with the tourists closing in on their first-innings score, Bangladesh did not resign themselves to their fate. Tapash Baisya removed Chris Gayle (51) and Wavell Hinds (75) in the same over and the spinner Enamul Haque had Shivnarine Chanderpaul caught behind 18 runs later.

Sarwan and Samuels then batted for over three hours until Talha Jubair trapped Samuels lbw. Sarwan spent 20 minutes in the 90s but finally reached his goal before giving Jubair his second wicket when he sliced the ball to third man.

Second day; West Indies won toss

BANGLADESH – First Innings 139 (Alok Kapali 52; P T Collins 5-26, V C Drakes 4-58)

WEST INDIES – First Innings (Overnight: 118 for 0)
C H Gayle c Khaled Mashud b Tapash Baisya 51
W W Hinds c Naimur Rahman b Tapash Baisya 75
R R Sarwan c Naimur Rahman b Talha Jubair 119
S Chanderpaul c Khaled Mashud b Enamul Haque 4
M N Samuels lbw b Talha Jubair 91
D Ganga not out 34
R D Jacobs not out 14
Extras (lb2, w2, nb8) 12
Total (for 5, 123 overs) 400

Fall: 1-131, 2-132, 3-150, 4-326, 5-377.

To bat: V C Drakes, D B Powell, P T Collins, J J C Lawson.

Bowling: Tapash Baisya 27-3-92-2; Talha Jubair 23-3-101-2; Naimur Rahman 27-4-75-0; Enamul Haque 38-9-95-1; Mohammad Ashraful 8-0-35-0.

Umpires: D L Orchard (SA) and D R Shepherd (Eng).