KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC)

West Indies achieved a flurry of late wickets but a maiden test hundred by Tamim Iqbal for Bangladesh highlighted the fourth day of their opening Test at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex yesterday.

Trailing by 69 runs on first innings, Bangladesh got 128 from Iqbal and finished the penultimate day on 321 for five, and overall lead of 252 runs, with Shakib Al Hasan (26) and Mushfiqur Rahim (28) to resume entering today's final day.

easily topped

Bangladesh, whose first innings effort of 238 was easily topped by West Indies (307) on Saturday, began the day on 26 without loss and enjoyed a solid opening partnership between Iqbal and Imrul Kayes.

The two added 82 for the first wicket before Kayes was caught at extra-cover for 24 off a lofted drive against the off-spinner Ryan Austin.

Bangladesh took just over an hour in the morning to wipe off the first innings deficit and Iqbal enjoyed a stroke of luck when, on 34, he was dropped by Floyd Reifer at first slip off medium pacer Darren Sammy, the first of two chances he gave in his innings.

solid century

Iqbal achieved his fifty off 72 balls with eight boundaries and posted a solid century with Junaid Siddique for the second wicket.

The pair batted throughout the entire post-lunch session and their progress, as it was in the morning session, was for the most part slow.

Half an hour after the lunch break, Omar Phillips failed to clutch a relatively easy chance at mid-wicket when Iqbal, on 76, swung at a delivery from off-spinner Austin.

Iqbal eventually celebrated his hundred by pushing a delivery from Austin into the off-side between point and cover for a single and with Siddique, took the score to 200 for one at tea.

Bangladesh changed gears after tea and accelerated their run-rate but lost wickets in the process, including Iqbal. The left-hander was first to go at 228 for two, ending a 146-run partnership. Attempting to pull a delivery from seamer David Bernard, he dragged a catch to mid-on where Travis Dowlin held a low catch tumbling to his left.

low catch

Iqbal faced 243 balls for his 128 that contained 17 boun-daries. Sammy and pacer Kemar Roach collected the other wickets before the close. Siddique went for 78 with four boundaries, edging a low catch off Sammy to Dale Richards at gully at 258 for three.

Roach then sent back Mohammad Ashraful (3) leg before wicket and six runs later, Sammy bowled Raqibul Hasan (18) off the inside edge at 267 for five.

Sammy has led the West Indies bowling with two for 53 off 23 overs.