CHITTAGONG: Mominul Haque struck an unbeaten century for Bangladesh on the opening day of the first Test against the West Indies in Chittagong.
Mominul was batting on 116 as the home side reached 216-3 at tea after skipper Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and elected to bat first at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.
The left-hander brought up his eighth Test hundred with a six and four in successive overs. He now shares the record with Tamim Iqbal for scoring the most Test centuries for Bangladesh.
It was Mominul’s third century in consecutive innings at this ground, and his fourth anywhere this year — only India’s Virat Kohli has scored as many Test centuries in 2018 so far.
Mominul helped to steady Bangladesh’s innings after pace bowler Kemar Roach struck in the first over of the morning, dismissing opening batsman Soumya Sarkar for a duck.
He shared 104 runs with Imrul Kayes for the second wicket and another 48 runs with Mohammad Mithun for the third.
Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo dismissed Mithun for 20 to give West Indies their only success in the second session.
Wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich took the catch after Mithun missed the flight of the ball and heaved a catch skywards.
Bishoo could have also taken the wicket of Mominul if Dowrich had not dropped a sharp chance when the batsman was on 67.
Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican earlier struck on the stroke of lunch when he had Imrul caught by Sunil Ambris at forward short-leg for 44.
Warrican was unlucky not to get Imrul early when the left-hander was reprieved by a no-ball on 16.
Imrul picked out deep square leg fielder Shannon Gabriel in the bowler’s very first over, but a television replay indicted that Warrican had overstepped.
The batsman was also put down by Roston Chase at second slip off Roach on three.
Skipper Shakib was batting on 27 with Mominul at the break.
Bangladesh received a boost before the match when Shakib overcame fitness concerns to play his first game in any format since September.
The home side handed a debut to teenage off-spinner Nayeem Hasan, adding him to a strong spin attack that also includes Shakib, Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan.
