Mayers scripts historic win against Bangladesh

Published at 07:22 pm February 7th, 2021

The West Indies' Kyle Mayers celebrates reaching his epic double hundred during the dramatic final day of the Chittagong Test against hosts Bangladesh at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium Sunday AFP

Debutant Mayers played 310 balls to orchestrate 210 not out, one of the most memorable fourth innings knocks in the history of the longer version

The West Indies Sunday accomplished the highest ever chase in the fourth innings of a Test match in Asia to beat Bangladesh by three wickets at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium to lead the two-Test series by 1-0.

The Windies resumed on 110/3 on the final day before Kyle Mayers, the debutant, scored a record 210 not out to help his side reach 395/7 in the final session of the match.

Mayers played 310 balls to orchestrate one of the most memorable victories and his partnership of 216 runs for the fourth wicket alongside fellow debutant Nkrumah Bonner, who scored 86, laid the foundation on the fifth-day track.

Later in the day, Mayers and wicket-keeper Joshua da Silva, who formed a 99-run partnership in the first innings with Jermaine Blackwood, added exactly 100 in their partnership this time round to take the team close to the shore.

Bangladesh may rue their luck as well as lack of promptness with regards to taking reviews, and sharpness on the field considering both Mayers and Bonner got some reprieves in the first session.

Unbeaten batsmen Mayers and Rahkeem Cornwall celebrate putting the Windies 1-0 ahead in the two-Test series AFP Mayers, who resumed on 37, got lucky when the umpire gave him not out against a strong leg before appeal, and the bowling side did not go for a review although the replay showed the Taijul Islam delivery would hit the stumps.

Just after adding two more runs he got another life as Nazmul Hossain Shanto failed to grab a rather difficult catch at slip off a Mehedi Hasan Miraz delivery.

On the other hand, Bonner was struck on his leg when he was on 25 and Bangladesh once again failed to take a review that would have broken the resistant pair.

Despite those glaring misses, the hosts looked quite flat both in bowling and fielding, and the two debutants showed maturity by picking up 39 runs in 18 overs of the first session.

They become a little more attacking by garnering 48 runs in 13 overs before lunch.

Joshua da Silva's defence is breached for 20, but not before the wicketkeeper-batsman added exactly 100 with Mayers AFP

Bangladesh might be thinking surviving a whole session without losing a wicket was a miracle in itself, but the debutant pair continued their quest and survived even the next session.

Barbadian Mayers reached his ton while his more sedate Jamaican partner reached his half century during the session as the pair left for dressing room with 266/3, needing 129 from minimum 33 overs.

The hosts could at last break the mammoth partnership when a Taijul delivery, the very next one after a sixer, skidded and hit the batsman’s back leg for a plumb leg before.

Bonner, who faced 245 balls and stayed in the crease for a little less than 5.5 hours, took a futile review.

Bangladesh revived their hopes as next batsman Blackwood got out for nine off 11 balls five overs later when he tried a wild swing only to miss and get bowled by Nayeem Hasan leaving his side on 292/5.

Mayers kept his promise to a reporter back home of scoring a hundred on Test debut AFP

However, Mayers and Da Silva looked unfazed and dominated the bowlers, who looked lackluster, forming the century partnership in just 131 balls.

Mayers hit a flurry of sixes and fours in the partnership to throw the hosts out of the match.

Da Silva was bowled on 20 off the bowling of Taijul but by then the Caribbean side needed just three more runs and despite losing the wicket of Kemar Roach two overs later, Bangladesh could not stop the imposing Mayers, the chief architect of the epic win.

This is the fifth highest successful chase in the history of the game.