Windies A smell victory

DHAKA, Bangladesh (CMC):

Left-hander Shahriar Nafees hit an uptempo century, but West Indies A were still in sight of victory in their cricket match against Bangladesh A at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium yesterday.

Chasing a mammoth 430 to win the opening four-day Test, the hosts finished the third day on 233 for seven, still 197 runs adrift of their target, with their top and middle order gone.

West Indies had earlier added another 107 runs for the loss of four wickets before declaring their second innings at 269 for six.

Kirk Edwards extended his overnight 55 to 72, while the in-form Darren Bravo got 37 and Test left-hander Brendan Nash, 27 not out.

Left-arm spinner Suhrawadi Shuvo finished with three for 104 to lead the Bangladeshi bowlers.

Fast bowler Gavin Tonge set West Indies A on their way early when he removed the dangerous captain, Nazimuddin, without scoring off the third ball of the innings, with the score on one.

The right-armer, who finished with two for 26 in a testing opening spell, then accounted for Marshall Ayub caught and bowled for nine, as Bangladesh slipped to 15 for two.

Nafees came to his side's rescue, dominating a 79-run, third-wicket stand with Rokibul Hasan (19) before leg-spinner Odean Brown (3-33) captured the first of three wickets to break the worrying stand.

The Jamaican triggered a slump as he removed Faisal Hossain (4) and Mahmudul Hasan (2) in quick succession to leave the hosts on 104 for five.

Bangladesh A, however, got their best partnership of the innings when Nafees and Saghir Hossain staged an entertaining stand of 126 for the sixth wicket.

The 24-year-old Nafees, with 16 Tests already under his belt, stroked 21 fours and a six in an innings that spanned 170 balls in 256 minutes. Saghir smashed 10 fours in 47 from 106 balls before providing off-spinner Shane Shillingford with his lone wicket.

Nafees was out just before the close when he was bowled by steady right-arm seamer Lionel Baker at 232 for seven.