Openers Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes carried Bangladesh solidly to 36 without loss in their first innings before rain prompted an early tea in the opening Test against West Indies on Thursday here.

Kayes was not out on 21 and Iqbal was not out 14 after Bangladesh won the toss and chose to bat on the opening day of the Test, which started three hours later than scheduled at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex because of the weather.

Not a ball was bowled before the scheduled lunch interval, but Kayes and Tamim remained steadfast in the face of aggressive opening spells from Tino Best and Kemar Roach, one of seven newcomers in the West Indies side.

After Tamim slashed a delivery from Roach over second slip, he settled down, but Kayes played a few handsome off-side strokes, after undergoing a thorough examination from Best and Roach.

The Test had appeared to be in serious doubt only 48 hours before the start after the West Indies Cricket Board was forced into assembling a new-look side after a contract dispute with its leading players led to a boycott by the 13-member squad on Monday.

The 13 players, including regular captain Chris Gayle, vice-captain Denesh Ramdin, top batsmen Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan, as well as key fast bowler Jerome Taylor are protesting at playing four consecutive tournaments without a contract, outstanding payments, and other issues.

But the WICB has been successful in finding players willing to don the maroon cap, and there will be seven Test newcomers in the final 11 which will be led by long-standing Barbadian left-handed batsman Floyd Reifer.

"Life presents us with some unique opportunities, and that's what this is for a lot of the players," said West Indies coach John Dyson in a television interview.

"It is a unique opportunity that if they are keen enough, and good enough to take that opportunity with both hands, good luck to them.

"What we have said to the guys is, 'This is a Test match, and it is an opportunity for them to showcase their skills to the cricket public here in the Caribbean and to the World."

He added: "All I am concerned about right now is getting the team ready, and making sure they have got the best preparation that we can give them - given the very short time we have had them - and just thinking about the match.

"I think the team, given the preparation we have had, is as good as we can get it. Ideally, we would have loved more time, but this is not the case."

Of the seven newcomers, Roach has appeared in two ODIs and one Twenty20 International, and left-arm spinner Nikita Miller has played 15 ODIs over the past year.

Opening batsman Dale Richards made the recent trip to England, but failed to break into the Test squad before he returned home early with injury.

The other newcomers are a mishmash of players with varying levels of experience in the West Indies first-class championship, including last season's leading wicket-taker, off-spinner Ryan Austin, who captured nine wickets for a West Indies A-Team in the visitors' opening tour match.

Omar Phillips will open the batting with Richards, Travis Dowlin has played several seasons without being given a chance, and Chadwick Walton is a wicketkeeper and free-scoring batsman.

Darren Sammy is the vice-captain, and is the only player in the 11 that has commanded a regular place in the full-strength West Indies side over the last year.

Best, who earns a recall after four years in the cricket wilderness, and all-rounder Dave Bernard Jr, who featured in the recent home One-day International series against India, are the only other players to have previously played in a Test along with Reifer and Sammy.

Bangladesh too, have handed Test debuts to Mahmudullah and fast bowler Rubel Hossain, both of whom have played ODIs for the Tigers.

Rubel has established himself as one of the fast bowlers in the attack, and off-spinner Mahmudullah should expect a fair bit of bowling on a typically low and slow pitch.

AFP

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