First-day flourish for WI young 'uns

Left-hander Powell led the way with 72, Edwards was unbeaten on 71 and compatriot Brathwaite gathered 50, as the Windies reached 253 for five in their first innings at the close on the opening day at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium.

The visitors were unsettled in the final period of the day, however, when debutant off-spinner Nasir Hossain struck twice, before Shakib Al Hasan bowled night-watchman Kemar Roach for six.

The two-Test series is level 0-0 after the badly rain-affected first Test at Chittagong ended in a draw.

Forced to open with the 21-year-old Powell and 18-year-old Brathwaite after Lendl Simmons failed to recover from the stiff back that affected him during the first Test, West Indies were blessed with an opening stand of exactly 100 from the two young openers.

Confident start

Brathwaite made a confident start, stroking Shahadat Hossain through cover for his first boundary from the second ball of the day and straight driving him for another in the fifth over.

Powell took a little time to warm up, but he got into stride with successive fours off Shahadat in the ninth over, pulling a long-hop and driving a full toss. The two continued to prosper against some innocuous Bangladesh bowling, taking West Indies to lunch on 88 without loss.

Powell got the ball rolling again in the first over after the interval with a flowing drive off left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan through mid-off for four before he whipped Rubel Hossain through midwicket for his eighth boundary.

Brathwaite reached his 50 from 101 balls with a single into the covers off Shakib, but he was caught at gully off Rubel from the first ball of the very next over. The slim opener struck five boundaries from 102 balls in 130 minutes at the crease.

Powell continued to work his way to his 50, also reaching the landmark from 101 balls with a single to midwicket off Rubel before Edwards unleashed two emphatic pulls off the same bowler to collect his first two boundaries.

The two consolidated for West Indies with a stand of 55 for the second wicket, but they ran into some problems in the last hour before tea.

Edwards, whose innings has so far included eight fours and one six from 168 balls in just over four hours, survived an unsuccessful Bangladesh appeal for a leg-side catch to the 'keeper and referral for a stumping chance.

Powell was dropped by verbose 'keeper Mushfiqur Rahim, the home team captain, on 71.

He failed to make full use of the chance and was bowled to give newcomer Suhrawadi Shuvo his first Test wicket, misjudging the line of a delivery. His innings contained 10 fours from 150 balls in 228 minutes.

Darren Bravo came to the crease and carried West Indies to tea on 160 for two with Edwards before he was lbw to Nasir for 12, playing defensively forward in the seventh over after the break, giving the off-spinner his first Test wicket to leave the visitors 180 for three.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul entered and guided Edwards to his 50 from 127 balls, when the right-hander swept Shuvo fine for his sixth boundary that also carried West Indies over the 200-run threshold.

Edwards was fortunate on 43, however, when he turned a delivery from Hossain into mid-wicket and pursued a single. Fielder Nasir threw a high return to the 'keeper and Chanderpaul was able to successfully complete the run.

Straight six

The two continued to bat comfort-ably with Edwards lofting Nasir for a straight six before Rahim claimed the second new ball after 81.2 overs, and Bangladesh had almost immediate success.

Chanderpaul nibbled at the first delivery from Nasir, sharing the new ball with Shahadat, and was caught behind for a typically dogged 18, leaving West Indies 226 for four.

Kemar Roach replaced Ravi Rampaul (nursing a hamstring injury) in the West Indies line-up and was asked to play the night-watchman's role for the last 5.3 overs, but Shakib produced an unplayable arm-ball that shattered his stumps, bringing Marlon Samuels to the crease with the visitors 232 for five.

He batted through the remainder of the day with Edwards, signalling the close with a typically audacious cover drive for his fourth four in 16 not out.

WEST INDIES 1st Innings

TOTAL (5 wkts, 90 overs) 253

+C. Baugh,D. Sammy, F. Edwards, D. Bishoo did not bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-100, 2-155, 3-180, 4-226, 5-232.

Bowling (to date): Shahadat Hossain 16-1-76-0 (nb1); Rubel Hossain 16-1-50-1 (w2); Shakib Al Hasan 23-10-31-1; Nasir Hossain 17-4-31-2; Suhrawadi Shuvo 14-2-46-1; Naeem Islam 4-0-14-0.

BANGLADESH: Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Shahriar Nafees, Raqibul Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan,+Mushfiqur Rahim, Naeem Islam, Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Shahadat Hossain, Suhrawadi Shuvo.

Toss: West Indies

Umpires: K. Dharmasena, N. Llong

TV umpire: Nadir Shah

Match referee: A. Pycroft

Reserve umpire: Enamul Haque