From EuroSport

Flamboyant West Indies opener Chris Gayle became the first player to hit a six from the first ball of a Test match when he launched his big-hit against Bangladesh in Dhaka. Shivnarine Chanderpaul equalled his best Test score as the West Indies remained in control on day two of the first Test against Bangladesh.

Day 1

The first officially recognised Test match commenced on March 15, 1877 between England and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Gayle smashed debutant Sohag Gazi over long-on, taking 18 from the first over but the 21-year-old off-spinner took revenge by having the opener caught for 24.

Kieran Powell and Shivnarine Chanderpaul struck centuries to push West Indies towards a big total in the first innings of the first Test.

The tourists reached 361-4 at the close on the opening day with Chanderpaul unbeaten on 123 alongside Denesh Ramdin (52 not out), having completed his 26th Test century.

Powell was earlier out for 117 after Bangladesh had put West Indies in a spot of trouble with three wickets in the morning session.

The left-hander, making his second century, added 125 runs with Chanderpaul for the fourth wicket as the duo batted out the second session to restore order for West Indies, who won the toss and elected to bat.

“I think we definitely won this day,” Powell said.

“Two guys getting centuries, 350 on the board and only four wickets down, it is a commanding position to press on for a good total.

“Generally we look at 400 in the first innings, but from this position, 500-plus should be a good total.”

The home side opened the bowling with debutant Sohag Gazi, who was greeted by Gayle’s six.

Gayle hit him for another six on the fourth ball but Gazi had the last laugh in the fifth over.

Mahmudullah took the catch at long-off as left-hander Gayle mistimed off a flighted delivery to depart for 24.

Gazi thought he had other opener Powell for seven but the left-hander was given a reprieve after the ball hit the helmet of the silly point fielder before heading towards Rubel Hossain, who dived to his left for a sharp catch.

Darren Bravo, however, had no such luck as the same fielder took the catch off Gazi to dismiss him on 14.

Bangladesh took the honours in the opening session when Shahadat Hossain dismissed Marlon Samuels for 16 with Gazi this time showing his skill as a fielder by taking a diving catch in the deep.

The hosts’ advantage slipped away though in the wicketless second session dominated by Powell and Chanderpaul.

Powell completed his century sweeping left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan to the fine-leg boundary to go to the break on 115 not out.

The 22-year old, however, could add only two runs to his score on the resumption after tea before he missed the line of a Gazi delivery and was clean bowled.

His 178-ball innings contained 18 fours and a six off Gazi over mid-off.

Day 2:

The veteran (Chanderpaul) was 203 not out when captain Darren Sammy declared at tea with his side on 527 for four in Dhaka, with Denesh Ramdin (126no) having become the third centurion of the innings. Opener Kieran Powell made 117 on Tuesday.

Bangladesh responded with 164 for three by stumps, Tamim Iqbal leading the way with a free-wheeling 72.

The Bangladeshi bowlers kept things tight in the morning session but produced few chances, though Chanderpaul was perhaps fortunate to see an early edge drop short of the slips while Ramdin had to be quick on his feet to beat a direct hit.

Ramdin resumed after lunch on 84 and tiptoed into the 90s with a succession of singles. He moved to 98 by edging Shakib Al Hasan for four and reached three figures three balls later, having faced 208 in total.

Attention then shifted to Chanderpaul, needing 25 for his double-century, and a four off Rubel Hossain took him past 190 before his 200 arrived with a cut for two off debutant Sohag Gazi. Three singles saw him match his previous top score, compiled against South Africa in 2005, and his 372-ball innings contained 22 fours. Ramdin hit 11 fours and a six in 236 balls as the pair put on 296.

Bangladesh lost Junaid Siddique for seven when he edged a nasty throat ball from Ravi Rampaul to slip but Tamim responded by hammering four boundaries off the next over, from Tino Best.

New man Shahriar Nafees joined in the fun by twice dispatching Rampaul to the fence. Three boundaries came from Sammy’s first over and two more off Rampaul brought up a blistering 50 partnership in 36 balls. But after taking yet another boundary off Rampaul, exuberance got the better of Nafees and he fenced a short ball to keeper Ramdin to depart for 31 from 27 balls.

Tamim, undeterred, charged Sunil Narine and lofted a six to reach a 38-ball half-century, also featuring eight fours, before clearing the rope again two balls later to bring up the Tigers’ hundred. He hit two more boundaries off Rampaul but was then becalmed and frustration got the better of him as he toe-ended Sammy to Narine at mid-on.

Naeem Islam (27no) and Shakib (16no) calmed things down thereafter, adding an unbroken 45 in 13 overs by the close.

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DHAKA, Nov 14 (Bangladesh were 164 for three wickets in their first innings at the close of the second day in the first test against West Indies at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday.

Scores: West Indies 527-4d (Shivnarine Chanderpaul 203 not out, Denesh Ramdin 126 not out, Kieran Powell 117; Sohag Gazi 3-145) v Bangladesh 164-3 (Tamim Iqbal 72) (Reporting by Azad Majumder; Editing by John O’Brien)