Mayers double century hands Windies astonishing victory

SOURCE: CMC Left-hander Kyle Mayers hit a magnificent unbeaten double hundred on debut as West Indies pulled off the fifth highest run chase in Tests to stun Bangladesh by three wickets late on the final day of the first Test here Sunday.

Set an improbable 395 to win at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, West Indies resumed the morning on 110 for three faced with the ultimate challenge of avoiding defeat on a wearing pitch and against a battery of spinners.

But Mayers unfurled an unbeaten 210 to spearhead a breathtaking run chase, the second highest successful one for the Caribbean side following their 418, 18 years ago in Antigua which remains the highest by any side.

In the process, Mayers became the sixth batsman to score a double-century on debut, with his knock the second highest by a West Indies batsman on debut – only behind the legendary Lawrence Rowe who hit 214.

Mayers found an ally in fellow debutant Nkrumah Bonner who hit 86, and together they put on 216 for the fourth wicket in a partnership that denied Bangladesh’s bowlers any success for the first two sessions.

Starting the day on 37, Mayers brushed aside a couple of missed chances to crunch 20 fours and seven sixes off 310 deliveries.

Bonner, meanwhile, who resumed on 15, punched 10 fours and a six off 245 balls.

Unbeaten on 79 at tea, Bonner perished in the first over after the interval and when Jermaine Blackwood followed for nine, Bangladesh were back in the contest with the Windies stumbling on 292 for five.

However, Mayers dominated a 100-run, sixth wicket stand with Joshua Da Silva (20) which revived the run chase and put West Indies in sight of victory.

Da Silva and Kemar Roach (0) fell in the space of 14 balls late on but Mayers fittingly hit the winning runs with a single to mid on off off-spinner Nayeem Hasan to earn the Windies a historic win.