WI vs BAN 2024/25, First Test Match Report WI vs BAN, 22-26 November 2024

West Indies 250 out of 5 (Louis 97, Atanaz 90, Taskin 2-46) against Bangladesh

After the Luis-Atanaze pair fell to the spinners, Justin Greaves and Joshua Da Silva freed the second new ball towards the end of the day. The game was abandoned after 84 overs when it started to rain and the light was poor.

Bangladesh’s fast bowling trio of Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam and Taskin challenged the West Indies early in the day but Louis held out. Hasan continued to beat him outside the off stump. Shoriful tested it around the off stump and the delivery always threatened to take shape. Taskin used a swinging seam, bowled the odd yorker at times and forced Louie to fish outside off stump.

Shoriful, who got more mileage from Sir Curtly Ambrose’s side than from Andy Roberts’ side, were playing their first Test since mid-August. He missed the previous five Tests but looked in tune with the red ball. He alarmed Kraigg Brathwaite, who was trying to dig in despite his bat not making any impact. Meanwhile, Louis waited for a short ball that brought him two fours off the lead.

Taskin then removed Brathwaite, trapping him lbw with a hint of an inward movement that hit his bat. Taskin then caught Kisi Carty midway through the game when he was unable to keep his wrist whip, resulting in a manual dismissal. Brathwaite made four runs off 38 balls while Carthy finished with an eight-ball duck.

Louis then found Kavem Hodge a little more open as they tried to restore serve. The pair crossed four boundaries before the lunch break, but then consolidated in the second session.

Louis brought up his fifty as he hit Taskin down the ground for a boundary. Hodge then hit Taskin with a square cut, but he didn’t last long. Attempting his second bowling run, Mehidy Hodge was bowled out for 25 after Taijul’s long leg shot left him well behind despite diving.

Atanaze made an effort to increase his runs but was met by Bangladesh’s consistent discipline. In the afternoon, spinners Mehidi and Taijul controlled the game. Atanz missed a couple of balls that fell slightly out of the fielder’s reach. One of them, the top edge to the middle, could have become a trap if Taskin moved a little faster from the middle. Atanaze hit Mehidy with a four-ball shot but was unable to hit several reverse putts in the second session. Louis, who lifted Taskin for a four over the bowler’s head towards the end of the second session, remained largely silent in his approach.

Atanaze took the initiative to improve West Indies’ performance after tea. He started the final session with two square boundaries before finally getting a four off a reverse stroke from Mehidy.

Luis then raised Mehidy for the first six days, which brought him into the eighties. Then Mehidy made a mistake with Luis when he reached level 90. Louis took Mahmood for his ninth boundary as he approached his maiden century, while Atanaze also opened at the other end.

He edged Taijul and then hit Taskin with four in a row in the 71st round, clipping him and sending him away. Atanaze then edged Taijul for his first six, followed by another reverse pass.

Despite the progress of the game, Mehidy sent off Luiz and attacked him, catching him at slip where Shahadat Hossain took the ball well. Three overs later, Taijul caught Atanaze behind. Within four runs, both batters walked, creating a small opening on the second day.