Mayers brings back haunting Chattogram memories

Kyle Mayers scored his second Test ton as he helped West Indies to assume control of their second and series-deciding Test against Bangladesh at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Saint Lucia on Sunday. 

Thanks to the Mayers show, West Indies were able to end the second day of the Test on a high note as the hosts reached 340 for five in their first innings with a lead of 106 runs. 

This is not the first time that Mayers reached the three-figure mark in Tests against Bangladesh. The last time it was an unbeaten 210 on his debut that saw the Windies snatch away the game from a lacklustre Tigers on the final day of their Chattogram Test back in February 2021. That time Mayers had almost single-handedly put the game to bed, helping the Windies to chase down a mammoth 395-run target in the fourth innings of a Test. 

Today, Mayers stitched a 116-run fifth-wicket stand with Windies vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood to thwart a Bangladesh comeback after the visitors scalped three wickets in quick succession just before Lunch to reduce the Caribbeans to 132 for four. 

Coming in to bat at a precarious time for West Indies, Mayers never looked nervy in the middle as he batted with authority throughout. He crossed fifty and brought up the century stand with Blackwood (40 off 121) as West Indies went through the entire afternoon session unscathed. 

Even after seeing Blackwood getting trapped in front by a Mehedi Hasan Miraz delivery almost as soon as the final session began, Mayers showed no signs of slowing down. In fact, Mayers, who never looked to be shying away from playing his shots, upped the ante and dealt in boundaries at the latter stage of the day's play. 

Fittingly, Mayers got to the three-figure mark with a six over square leg off a Shoriful Islam delivery. He struck three more fours since then, taking his boundary count to 15 fours and two maximums as he remained unbeaten on 126 off 180 deliveries. 

Windies wicketkeeper-batter Joshua Da Silva has also settled himself down nicely alongside Mayers in the middle as he moved to 26 off 106 deliveries not out. 

Meanwhile, Bangladesh, who at one stage looked to be getting back into the game with a flurry of wickets late in the morning session, now find themselves in a tough spot and could see the game slip away altogether if they can't find a way to stop Mayers' wrath on the third day tomorrow.