The three-day warm-up match between Bangladesh and St Kitts & Nevis was heading for a draw as the visiting bowlers were unable to make any impact at the Warner Park in Basseterre on Monday Resuming the day at 234-4, the local team reached 297-4 till filing this report, replying to Bangladesh’s 377-7 declared. Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Shane Jeffers gave a fitting reply to the century of Mushfiqur Rahim and Nasir Hossain, with both reaching three-figure mark.
Chanderpaul, unbeaten on 70 overnight, drove Robiul Islam pleasantly through the point to complete his century in 275 minutes from 207 balls. The 40-year-old veteran struck 12 boundaries on his way to the century.
Jeremiah Louis was at the other end when Chanderpaul got his century. Shafiul Isalm was the unlucky bowler not to get the wicket of Louis as Imrul Kayes dropped him at slip on 16.
Chanderpaul was batting on 103 with Louis on 26 when this report was filed.
Earlier on day two, Shane Jeffers scored a blazing century and hardly gave the opposition bowlers any respite on his way to 118 before being caught by Mahmudullah at short backward-square when he top-edged the sweep.
Jeffers led an onslaught of the visitors bowling in his 131-ball innings with 22 boundaries as the home side closed the second day on 232-4 in reply to Bangladesh’s mammoth innings.
Chanderpaul, a guest player for this match, ended the second day’s play with a well-composed fifty and will resume Monday’s game looking for a century in his first game at the ground in 20 years. All-rounder Jeremiah Louis on one not out at the close
Chanderpaul and Jeffers came together in the middle session and added 51 for the third wicket. After Jeffers fell – caught at short backward square, Tonito Willet joined Chanderpaul and they added 65 for the fourth wicket on a good batting surface.
Willet made 21 but fell to a sharp catch at short-leg, just when he looked set to push on the score.
When the stumps were drawn for the second day St Kitts were trailing by 151 runs.
Earlier, Bangladesh recovered from 186-6 to post 377-7 before skipper Mushfiaur Rahim declared the innings. The innings was boosted by a seventh-wicket stand of 191 runs between skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (106 not out) and lower middle-order batsman Nasir Hossain (100).
The first Test between Bangladesh and West Indies will start at St Vincent on Friday.
-With New Age input
