BANGLADESH, Nov 21: Abul Hasan became only the second man in 135 years of Test cricket to hit a debut hundred batting at number ten on the opening day of the second Test against the West Indies on Wednesday.
The 20-year-old left-hander was unbeaten on 100 and added an invaluable 172 runs for the unfinished tenth wicket stand with Mohammad Mahmudullah (72) to help the home team recover from 193-8 to 365-8 at close on the opening day.
Hasan became an unlikely hero for the home fans as he turned spinner Sunil Narine for two to reach his hundred, matching Australian Reggie Duff’s feat who scored 104 against England at Melbourne in 1902 while batting at ten.
Hasan, whose previous highest first class score was 61, batted with complete authority as he has so far hit 13 boundaries and three towering sixes off just 108-balls to completely overshadow a destructive 5-81 by paceman Fidel Edwards.
Edwards had pushed Bangladesh to the brink five minutes into resumption after tea when he had captain Mushfiqur Rahim (38) and Sohag Gazi (nought) in one over before Hasan and Mahmudullah subdued the West Indians.
The pair has set a new record for tenth wicket in all Bangladesh Tests, beating the 77 run stand between Mashrafe Mortaza and Shahadat Hossain, made against India at Chittagong in 2007.
The pair is just 24 short of beating the world record for tenth wicket in all Test cricket — 195 set by South African pair Mark Boucher and Pat Symcox, against Pakistan at Johannesburg in 1998.
West Indies were sloppy in the field, as Kieran Powell dropped
Hasan when the batsman was on 42 and Mahmuddulah was floored by Darren Bravo when on 37 — both off a luckless left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul and both proving costly.
Hasan made the most of the chance, hitting a four and six off Darren Sammy to complete his half-century off just 55 balls and continued in the same vein in the last hour.
Mahmuddulah, a recognised batsman overshadowed by the newcomer, has so far hit nine fours in his 89-ball knock.
In the first session, West Indian captain Sammy had helped derail the home team by dismissing Shahriar Nafees (26) opener Tamim Iqbal (32) in quick succession after Bangladesh won the toss and batted.
But it was fellow paceman Edwards who further reduced the home team in the second over after lunch, removing first Test centurion Naeem Islam (16) and star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan (17) in successive overs.
Bangladesh, who trail 0-1 in the series after losing the first Test by 77 runs in Dhaka, lost opener Nazimuddin in the third over of the innings for just four.
Iqbal and Nafees batted sensibly to add 59 for the second wicket but Sammy struck twice to give the West Indies the upper hand.
Nafees edged a wide delivery to the wicket-keeper while Iqbal was bowled off a sharp incoming delivery.
Edwards then took two wickets in his first over after tea break, with Rahim caught brilliantly by Ramdin and then trapped Gazi, but Hasan and Mahmudullah spoiled the good work in the end. (Agencies)
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