West Indies Dominate Antigua Test with Justin Greaves’ Maiden Century and Late Strikes

The hosts’ commanding display leaves Bangladesh trailing by 410 runs at stumps on Day 2.

Justin Greaves notched up his maiden Test century, anchoring West Indies’ innings to a formidable 450 for 9 declared on the second day of the Antigua Test. The visitors, Bangladesh, found themselves in trouble at 40 for 2 by stumps, trailing by a daunting 410 runs.

Greaves Leads the Recovery

Resuming at 250 for 5, West Indies were reduced to 261 for 7 early on Day 2. However, Greaves and Kemar Roach staged a stunning fightback with a 140-run partnership for the eighth wicket.

Greaves’ Heroics: His 115 off 206 balls, with just four boundaries, showcased immense patience and skill. Fresh off three consecutive centuries in the Super50 Cup, this innings solidified his place as a reliable middle-order option.
Roach’s Grit: Known more for his bowling, Roach batted over four hours for a career-best 47. His resilience allowed Greaves to focus on building the innings.

“Roach was the perfect partner for me,” Greaves said. “His calm presence and ability to rotate the strike made my job easier.”

This partnership was the third-highest eighth-wicket stand for West Indies and the first to cross 100 runs against Bangladesh.

Bangladesh’s Missed Opportunities

Bangladesh started the day on a high, with Hasan Mahmud dismissing Joshua Da Silva (lbw) and Alzarri Joseph (caught at gully) in quick succession. Mahmud’s 3 for 87 was a bright spot in an otherwise challenging outing for Bangladesh’s bowlers.

However, the visitors failed to capitalize on chances:

Taskin Ahmed found Greaves’ edge on 77, but no appeal was made.
Their spinners, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam, combined for 73.1 overs but managed only three wickets.

Bangladesh’s inability to clean up the tail allowed West Indies to stretch their innings to 145 overs, sapping energy from the fielding side.

Greaves’ Milestone Moment

Greaves reached his maiden century with a delightful drive through the covers off Taijul. His celebration reflected the relief and joy of achieving a long-awaited milestone in just his second Test.

“It was a surreal moment,” Greaves said. “This innings is a culmination of the hard work I’ve put in, especially in the Super50 tournament.”

Bangladesh Stumble in Reply

Set to bat for a tricky session before stumps, Bangladesh lost two early wickets:

Zakir Hasan (15): Played a few crisp shots but was unlucky to under-edge a Jayden Seales delivery onto his stumps.
Mahmudul Hasan Joy (5): Edged an Alzarri Joseph delivery after being dropped on the same score earlier.

At 40 for 2, Bangladesh face an uphill task to avoid a follow-on, with their batters needing to dig deep against West Indies’ potent pace attack.

Key Takeaways

West Indies’ Bowling Firepower: The hosts’ pace quartet looks primed to exploit the Antigua surface.
Bangladesh’s Resilience Tested: Their batters must step up to prevent further damage and put up a respectable total.

As Day 3 looms, West Indies will aim to consolidate their advantage, while Bangladesh must find a way to counter the home side’s relentless momentum.