Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Bangladesh batter Towhid Hridoy converted his maiden century into a double-century to lift his team into a dominant position in the second and final cricket Test against West Indies.
His masterclass helped Bangladesh reach 386 in Sylhet on Saturday, taking a 30-run first-innings lead from a near-hopeless situation. West Indies were 0-7 when bad light forced early stump.
Hridoy was unbeaten on 242 off 359 deliveries, smashing 22 fours and 11 sixes.
He became the fourth Bangladeshi batter to hit a double-century after Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal, and also passed Mushfiqur’s 219 to become the highest individual scorer for his country.
The batter led the side astutely when Bangladesh appeared set to concede a big first-innings lead after the tourists were bowled out for 356.
Resuming at 3-88 on day three, Hridoy and Mushfiqur negotiated the West Indies bowlers well before Jomel Warrican dismissed Mushfiqur, ending their 73-run partnership.
Warrican and skipper Roston Chase then sparked a collapse as Bangladesh lost three wickets in quick succession to be 7-184.
Hridoy helped the side stage a comeback, adding 117 with Taijul Islam for the eighth wicket.
He raised his maiden Test century off 171 balls, taking a single off Chase, which also took the side past 300.
After the century, Hridoy became more adventurous, unleashing a spectacular attack on the West Indies bowlers. Ten of his 11 sixes – the most by any Bangladeshi batter and the second highest in Test history – came in this period, leaving visiting bowlers shocked.
Warrican, who took 4-104, finally broke through with the wicket of Taijul for 22.
But Hridoy was unstoppable, as he shared an 85-run partnership with Taskin Ahmed for the ninth wicket to edge the home side ahead.
He raised his double-century off 304 balls by driving Warrican to long-off for single.
Jayden Seales dismissed Taskin to wrap up the Bangladesh innings, with opener Shadman Islam unable to bat after injuring his ankle on day two.
