West Indies Holding The Aces

The West Indies have moved into the dominant position after the third day against Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla Stadium at Mirpur, near Dhaka, with another controlled batting display and more inept cricket from their opponents.

Davendra Bishoo and Marlon Samuels took only 17 overs of the morning session to wrap up the tail, with Bishoo showing once again why leg spinners are the most potent weapon against the lower order. Samuels got the gift wicket of Nasir Hossain when, after batting well to build his innings, he went the kamikaze route and slogged a nudey straight to Kirk Edwards at mid wicket. It was just a continuation of the example set by the top order. Stuart Law has a lot of work to do with the batsmen.

Darren Bravo 100x -
who does he look like?

The West Indies second innings got away to a shaky start when Kraigg Braithwaite dabbed the second ball to square leg and Hossain ran him out with a direct peg at the bowlers end and then in the 17th over, Keiran Powell turned from steady pusher and prodder into a Bangladesh top order man and holed out against Al Hasan's spin to mid on. Kirk Edwards, already on duty and on guard, was joined by Darren Bravo, a man whose undoubted ability has promised to flower for a few years but has instead wilted. Normally known for his circumspect nature at the crease - more Chanderpaul than Sobers - he instead launched an attack on the spinners. He scored 40 of the first 50 of his 3rd wicket stand with Edwards and his half century featured two big zacs. Although he came back to a more reasonable rate once he had the attack beaten, his century was a breakthrough which might just give him the confidence to blossom. It was his first in 52 innings for West Indies at Test, ODI or Twenty20 level and only his 4th in first class cricket. He was helped there by two dropped catches but three figures are rarely achieved without a degree of luck.

Kirk Edwards 121 & 89

Edwards was again in complete control of the attack and himself. Each time he bats he looks more like the West Indies future and the combined islands which make up the West Indies should throw every dollar they can at him to keep him away from Indian distractions. Some time in first class cricket in England would round him out nicely. He made a rare mistake in judgment which cost him his wicket, caught in two minds as stumps approached. His partnership with Bravo added 151.

With Chanderpaul and Samuels still to bat, a 331 lead in the scorebook and 2 days to play, West Indies are a surer bet than the hottest favourite at Flemington today.