Samuels, Bravo steady West Indies in second Test

KHULNA, Bangladesh (AFP) –

West Indies cricketer Marlon Samuels plays a shot during the second day of the second Test against Bangladesh. Samuels hit a defiant half-century to help the West Indies recover to 146-2 at tea in Khulna. An unfinished 103-run stand between Samuels (62) and Darren Bravo (41) rescued the visitors after the home side had them struggling on 43-2 in reply to Bangladesh’s first innings of 387.

Marlon Samuels hit a defiant half-century to help the West Indies recover to 146-2 at tea on the second day of the second and final Test against Bangladesh in Khulna on Thursday.

An unfinished 103-run stand between Samuels (62) and Darren Bravo (41) rescued the visitors after the home side had them struggling on 43-2 in reply to Bangladesh’s first innings of 387.

Paceman Rubel Hossain gave Bangladesh an early breakthrough when he had Kieran Powell caught at square leg off a short delivery. Powell, who scored a century in each innings in the first Test, managed just 13.

Off-spinner Sohag Gazi removed Chris Gayle for 25, as the left-hander’s attempted sweep was well caught by wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim down the leg side.

But Samuels has so far hit eight fours and a six in his 18th Test fifty, on a pitch which has yet to offer the bowlers any help.

Earlier, Bangladesh added 22 to their overnight score of 365-8.

West Indies cricketer Marlon Samuels plays a shot as Bangladesh’s Shahriar Nafees (C) jumps during the second day of the second Test at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna. Paceman Rubel Hossain gave Bangladesh an early breakthrough when he had Kieran Powell caught at square leg off a short delivery.

Abul Hasan, who on Wednesday became only the second man in 135 years of Test cricket to score a debut hundred while batting at number ten, was last man out.

The 20-year-old left-hander hit 14 boundaries and three sixes during his 163-ball knock before being caught in the slips off a short Fidel Edwards’ delivery.

Mohammad Mahmudullah was dismissed in the third over of the day when he gave Darren Sammy a return catch after scoring a solid 76.

He had helped Hasan add 184 runs for the ninth wicket to lift the home team from a precarious 193-8 on the first day.

Their partnership fell just 11 short of the world record ninth-wicket partnership by South African pair Mark Boucher and Pat Symcox against Pakistan in Johannesburg in 1998.

Mahmudullah hit nine boundaries during his almost three-hour stay.

Edwards was the pick of the bowlers with 6-90, his 12th five-wicket haul in Test matches. Sammy chipped in with 3-74.

The West Indies lead the two-Test series 1-0 after their 77-run win in the first Test in Dhaka.