Bravo, Edwards tighten Windies' grip
The West Indies have tightened their stranglehold on the second Test against Bangladesh after increasing their lead to 331 at stumps on day three.
The West Indies on Monday tightened their stranglehold on the second Test in Dhaka against Bangladesh after increasing their lead to 331 at stumps on day three at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.
First-innings centurion Kirk Edwards hit 86 and Darren Bravo scored a maiden Test century as the visitors finished the day on 207 for three after they had dismissed the Tigers for 231 in the first session.
Edwards and Bravo shared a 151-run third-wicket partnership in 47.1 overs as the Windies overcame a nervous start to their second innings after openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Kieron Powell were dismissed cheaply.
Brathwaite was run out by a direct hit from Naeem Islam two balls into the second innings, while his partner was out miscuing Shakib Al Hasan to mid-on four overs after the lunch break.
From then on in it was The Edwards and Bravo Show as they transferred the pressure back on the hosts by playing quite a few attacking shots either side of the tea break. Bravo reached his half-century off just 63 balls, while his partner was happy to take his time, using 115 balls to get to his milestone.
The runs didn't exactly flow in the evening session but the batsmen made sure there was no way back for the hosts. Edwards was staring a second consecutive century in the face when he failed to get his bat down in time for a full ball from spinner Suhrawadi Shuvo.
Bravo, though, wasn't to suffer the same fate as he cut the final ball of the day and came back for a second run to complete his maiden Test century off 167 balls (2×6, 7×4) in only his ninth Test.
Earlier, the Windies enjoyed an excellent opening hour with the ball as Devendra Bishoo made sure the Bangladesh tail didn't wag. Starting on 204 for seven, Nasir Hossain and Shuvo added another 21 runs before the Tigers lost their final three wickets for the addition of just six runs.
Shuvo was first to go for 15 after some extra bounce from Bishoo saw him getting an inside edge to short-leg. Hossain departed in the next over for an excellent rearguard 42, but he gifted the Windies his wicket as his heave off part-timer spinner Marlon Samuels ended up in the hands of deep midwicket.
Shahadat Hossain was the final man out for four after failed to deal with a straighter one from Bishoo. The spinner finished with figures of three for 62 but Fidel Edwards was the real hero for the Windies as his five-wicket haul on day two rattled Bangladesh.
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