Samuels 260, Shiv 109 help Windies to 564-4

Samuels scored 260 and Darren Bravo and Shivnarine Chanderpaul added centuries for West Indies to finish day three with a 177-run first-innings lead over Bangladesh in the second Test.
Samuels 260, Shiv 109 help Windies to 564-4

Marlon Samuels scored 260 and Darren Bravo and Shivnarine Chanderpaul added centuries for West Indies to finish day three with a 177-run first-innings lead over Bangladesh in the second test on Friday.

West Indies exploited the placid pitch to reach 564-4 at stumps, in reply to Bangladesh's 387.

The visitors, already 1-0 up in the two-test series, lost only two wickets on Friday.

Samuels and Bravo began the day on the overnight score of 241-2, and Bravo joined Samuels as a century-maker, moving from 85 to his fourth test century with a single down fine leg. He took 221 balls.

After Samuels passed his previous best test score of 123, Bravo was out for 127, trapped lbw by Sohag Gazi, after several nicks fell short of slips. Bravo stepped back to cut and missed in the last over before lunch. He and Samuels put on 326 for the third wicket.

Samuels, on 191, was joined at the crease by Chanderpaul.

Six overs after lunch, Samuels brought up his double century, flicking Rubel Hossain to square leg for a single. Samuels had taken 329 balls and hit 26 boundaries and three sixes.

They were untroubled in reaching tea at 462-3, with Chanderpaul already on a half century.

Samuels was disappointed when he was out for 260, seven overs before stumps, fending off a riser from Rubel Hossain and giving an easy catch at point to replacement fielder Elias Sunny.

Samuels dearly wanted to reach 300.

"I was waiting for the spinners and . I would be hitting some sixes continuously for the rest of the evening," he said.

"It is most definitely disappointing (not reaching 300). Nevertheless, a double century is a big milestone. I have to work with it and enjoy it to the fullest."

Samuels' innings lasted 455 balls including 31 boundaries. He and Chanderpaul put on 177 for the fourth wicket.

In the next over, Chanderpaul brought up his 27th century and second of the series with a single off Gazi. He kissed the pitch. Chanderpaul needed 187 balls and smacked 10 to the boundary and one over it.

At stumps he was 109 not out and Denesh Ramdin was on 4.

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