Miraz hits maiden Test century as Bangladesh take control of Chattogram Test

A scintillating maiden Test hundred by youngster Mehidy Hasan Miraz followed by twin strikes by pacer Mustafizur Rahman put Bangladesh in the driving seat on the second day of Chattogram Test against the West Indies.

The 23-year-old allrounder carved out 103 off 162 balls as Bangladesh posted 430 in the first innings at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Thursday.

With a challenging first innings total to chase, the Carribean top order caved in as Mustafizur sent opener John Campbell (3) packing, lbw on review, and trapped Shayne Moseley (2) in front with a searing yorker.

Bangladesh’s lower-middle and the tail order made up for what the top order failed to manage on a pitch that offered little for the bowler on the opening day when the Tigers were teetering on 134 for four at one point.

Skipper Kraigg Brathwaite (49) and debutant Nkrumah Bonner (17) were tasked with steadying the ship. They remained unbeaten to take the team to 75 for two before the end of play.

Earlier, Shakib Al Hasan (68) and Liton Das (38) resumed the day with hosts on 242 for five. Warrican, the chief tormentor for the hosts on Day 1, gave the Caribbeans a good start at the outset with the wicket of Liton.

Shakib then reached his 25th Test half-century and added 67 for the seventh wicket Taijul Islam (18) before falling to Rahkeem Cornwall, leaving his team seven down on 315.

The onus to anchor the innings fell on Miraz who added 44 more to the score with Taijul who was sent back by Shannon Gabriel when he edged one back to the keeper, as Miraz began to run out of partners at the other end.

Nayeem Hasan (24) then dug deep and gave Miraz the strike more often to take the Tigers past the 400-run mark with a 57-run ninth-wicket stand.

Miraz survived three scares. He was dropped off Warrican on 24, got a stumping reprieve by the wicketkeeper on 71 and then on 85 when Bonner dropped a tough low return catch.

After losing Nayeem, who was castled by Bonner for his only wicket, Miraz showed urgency with a boundary off Warrican before switching to a paddle sweep to reach the milestone off 160 balls. He smashed 13 boundaries to become the sixth Bangladeshi batsman to hit a century batting at No. 8 or lower.

With the end of the innings looming, Miraz wanted to go big and took strides forward off Cornwall but ended up skewing it straight to the fielder near the rope.