Louis, Athanaze fall short of milestones

(ESPNCRICINFO) – Mikyle Louis and Alick Athanaze both suffered the heartbreak of falling in the nineties on the first day of the Antigua Test against Bangladesh. Otherwise, the West Indies pair did enough to make the opening day of the series theirs. The 140-run fourth wicket stand between the pair revitalised West Indies’ innings, adding pace to the overall scoring. It led to West Indies dominating proceedings for more than two sessions.

Louis came agonizingly close to his maiden Test century, but fell on 97. Despite showing great restraint throughout his 218-ball stay, Louis spent 27 balls in the nineties before falling to Bangladesh stand-in captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Athanaze fell to Taijul Islam a few overs later, the second time he got out in the nineties in his short Test career.

The Bangladesh bowlers would be disappointed that they couldn’t hold back the Louis-Athanaze partnership after keeping West Indies’ scoring rate in check in the first 54 overs. Taskin Ahmed took two wickets, while Taijul and Mehidy took one each, average returns overall despite Bangladesh choosing to bowl first at the toss.

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 after 84 overs when a drizzle started, while the light was not great either.

Bangladesh’s fast-bowling trio of Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam and Taskin challenged West Indies early in the day, but Louis held his own. Hasan kept beating him outside the off-stump. Shoriful tested him around the off-stump with the delivery always threatening to shape in. Taskin used the wobble seam, sometimes bowled the odd yorker, and pressing Louis to fish outside off-stump.

Shoriful, who got more swing from the Sir Curtly Ambrose end than the Andy Roberts end, was playing his first Test since mid-August. He missed the previous five Tests but looked in tune with the red ball. He roubled Kraigg Brathwaite, who tried to dig in despite the runs not flowing from his bat. Louis meanwhile waited for the short ball, which got him two fours with the pull shot.

Taskin then removed Brathwaite, trapping him LBW with a hint of inward movement that beat his bat. Taskin then had Keacy Carty caught at mid-on when he couldn’t keep his wristy whip down, ending up as a tame dismissal. Brathwaite made four runs in 38 balls, while Carty ended on an eight-ball duck.