Hodge 93*, Wickham twin fifties put West Indies back in control

Kavem Hodge is nearing a Test century while Kevin Wickham scored his second fifty of the game, as West Indies wrested back control of the Sylhet Test. At tea on the fourth day, they extended their lead to 229 runs after a wicketless session.

Wickham became the first West Indies batter in 48 years to score two fifties on Test debut. Hodge was the more assertive of the duo, as their unbroken third wicket stand grew to 140.

Wickham started the session with a straight six off Taijul Islam, before hitting two fours off Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Hodge pulled Hasan Mahmud for four, followed by Wickham hitting four more boundaries off Taijul and Nayeem Hasan.

Hodge struck two more off the pacers, bringing up West Indies' 200, as they hit at least one boundary per over regularly. Hodge reached 1000 runs in Test cricket with a cover drive off Taskin Ahmed.

West Indies' openers Brandon King and Joshua Da Silva added 85 runs for the first wicket, as they batted confidently earlier in the day. On a number of occasions, they struck two boundaries in an over off Mahmud, Taskin and Nayeem.

Bangladesh broke through when Taijul trapped Da Silva lbw for 36. It was the sixth time that the left-arm spinner had Da Silva's wicket in Tests. Towhid Hridoy dropped King on 56 shortly afterwards, when he was on 56. Mehidy, however, removed King on 61, with Najmul Hossain Shanto diving to his right to take the catch at slip.

King struck eleven boundaries in total, including a six, in his 84-ball knock. Hodge however had already struck five boundaries including a straight six off Taijul before lunch.