Russell ton gives West Indies A the advantage
Andre Russell, with an entertaining hundred, and Carlos Brathwaite punished Bangladesh A following a middle-order wobble
ESPNcricinfo staff
06-Nov-2011
West Indies A 352 for 8 (Russell 128, Hyatt 92, Permaul 5*) v Bangladesh A
Scorecard
Scorecard
Danza Hyatt and Nkruma Bonner steadied West Indies A after their openers failed, before Andre Russell, with an entertaining hundred, and Carlos Brathwaite punished Bangladesh A following a middle-order wobble. Kamrul Rabbi then struck twice towards the end of the day to limit the damage.
Medium pacer Rabbi removed Kyle Corbin for a duck and Rajindra Chandrika for 9 to reduce West Indies A to 11 for 2. Hyatt and Bonner then set about rebuilding the innings, with the former the more aggressive of the pair. Hyatt reached his 50 just before lunch, from 66 balls, and together with Bonner took their side to 100 for two at the break. They extended their partnership to 115 before Bonner was caught and bowled by left-arm spinner Suhrawadi Shuvo for 43. Two more quick wickets followed, with Jonathan Carter falling to Shuvo for a duck and Devon Thomas for 2 to Robiul Islam, leaving the visitors tottering at 131 for 5.
That brought Russell to the crease and he proceeded to play with his typical freedom, forcing Bangladesh on to the back foot. He added 58 with Hyatt for the sixth wicket before Hyatt was unfortunately run out eight short of a hundred, having struck 11 fours and two sixes in his 157-ball knock. Brathwaite, though, picked up where Hyatt left off as West Indies A continued to punish the Bangladesh A bowlers.
Such was Russell's confidence that on 98 he chose to play a reverse sweep to bring up his hundred. In all he struck 18 fours and four sixes in his 128, adding 155 with Brathwaite, who was not to be left behind,reaching his 50 from 67 balls.
Just when it seemed they would take the game away from the hosts, Rabbi struck twice in the last half-hour, first bowling Russell and then trapping Brathwaite lbw for 62 in the final over of the day to leave West Indies A on 352 for 8.
"We needed big partnerships and what we did was try to be positive and stay confident," Russell said. "I back myself because I know I have the strength to get the ball away so when they [the Bangladesh A bowlers] give me the opportunities I made use of them."