A career-best knock from Mikyle Louis, and a near-best from Alick Athanaze helped the \West Indies close the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh at 250-5 on Friday at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium in North Sound, Antigua Barbuda.
“I think we’re in a strong position,” reflected Louis at the close. “We have Justin [Greaves] and Joshua Da Silva at the crease now, two great batsmen. And I think that they will have a good partnership here moving forward. I’m hoping for a 400-plus score on this pitch.”
Louis and Athanaze both came within touching distance of triple figures, Louis out on 97 and Athanaze on 90. But they gave the home team a fine foundation, after two wickets had fallen with the score on 25.
Bangladesh won the toss and chose to bowl. The home team went for a pace attack, including Kemar Roach, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, and Jayden Seales on an even patch that Sir Curtly Ambrose reckoned would be good for the quicks.
The television umpire confirmed the on-field call in the 14th over that Taskin Ahmed had got West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite trapped leg before wicket for four off 38 balls.
Carty, who shone earlier this month in the limited overs series against England, hitting a century and a 50, was Ahmed’s second victim. The man from Sint Maarten was out for duck in the 16th over, caught in the mid on region.
At the other end, Louis was on 21 from 49 deliveries. The first Kittitian to play for West Indies, the 24-year-old would steady the ship with help from Kavem Hodge in the first instance. Together, they added 59 from 130 balls, Louis’ 31 taking him to his second 50 in just his sixth match for West Indies. Hodge added 25, as their partnership took the home team to 84-3 in the 38th over.
It was the next union that gave the Men in Maroon a slight edge at stumps. Athanaze’s 90 off 130 balls represented his third half-century in 10 matches. This was his second time making at least 90, having previously hit 92 against South Africa in the drawn first Test in August, in Port of Spain.
But Louis was the first to go, his 97 adding 40 to his best innings prior, 57 against England in Birmingham in July. He demonstrated great patience and restraint throughout his 218-ball stay, spending 27 balls in the nineties before falling to Bangladesh stand-in captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
After the Louis-Athanaze pair fell to the spinners, Justin Greaves and Joshua Da Silva scored freely against the second new ball towards the end of the day. Play was called off with the West Indies 250-5 after 84 overs when a drizzle started, while the light was not great either.
“It was an Innings of phases,” said Louis. “So initially me and Kraigg opened the batting and, you know, the pitch had a lot of moisture. So he was a little slow. The ball was nipping a bit and slowing up. As we got out of that period, me and Kacem had a good partnership, running hard between the wicket. It was unfortunate that he wasn’t able to carry on.
“And then the partnership between me and Alick, that was a partnership of substance. And he guided me in a sense, you know. He has a lot more experience than me, so he was feeding me information. I just felt like he was leading me on the right path.”
(TF)
