Bangladesh’s Tareq Aziz congratulates Mohammed Rafique (left) after the latter’s century in St Lucia on Saturday. (AP)

The West Indies were 175 for three at tea on Day III. Gayle (69) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (4) were at the crease. Brian Lara hit 53 while Sarwan made 40.

Gros Islet (St Lucia): The West Indies were 68 for one at lunch and trailing Bangladesh by 348 runs on the third day of the first Test at the Beausejour Stadium on Sunday. Ramnaresh Sarwan was batting on 30 and Chris Gayle was on 34.

Earlier, Bangladesh carried from their overnight score of 406 for nine to be 416 all out.

 

Mohammad Rafique, who notched his maiden Test century late on Saturday, was eventually bowled off the inside edge by Pedro Collins for 111.

Left-arm pacer Collins took four for 83 to lead the West Indies’ bowling. Sarwan earned three for 59 with his leg-spin.

Bangladesh made an immediate breakthrough when Devon Smith was run out after a mix-up with Gayle in the second over.

Smith, returning to the team after missing the final two Tests against England with injury, was dismissed without scoring. The left-hander was sent back too late on Gayle’s push to backward point and Faisal Hossain and bowler Tareq Aziz completed the dismissal.

The 20-year-old Tareq, on debut, should have reaped further reward for the visitors in his new-ball burst. But two dropped catches took the gilt off Bangladesh’s performance in the morning session.

On Saturday, Rafique was dropped twice on 84 by the hapless Fidel Edwards, the 29-year-old Rafique rode his luck at the end of a day in which over three hours were lost to a combination of rain and a wet outfield.

Rafique was dropped by Edwards inside the deep square leg boundary off Sarwan and, in the next over, which Edwards bowled, offered a sharp return chance that the bowler failed to hold.

Rafique maintained his composure and square drove his full-length 138th delivery from Sarwan through cover for the last of his 11 fours and two sixes that decorated his 211-minute stay at the crease to reach the milestone.

It triggered jovial celebrations on the balcony of the Bangladeshi dressing room which had applauded captain Habibul Bashar’s third Test hundred the previous day, and immediately prompted an offer from umpires Daryll Harper of Australia and Jeremy Lloyds of England of light to Rafique and last man Tareq with 7.5 overs remaining.

Twice on Friday, Edward put down Mohammed Ashraful, who scored 81, and with whom Rafique added 87 for the eighth wicket to frustrate West Indies after rain and a wet Beausejour Stadium outfield delayed the start by nearly four and-a-half hours.

Only 2.4 overs were possible before rain precipitated tea with Bangladesh on 285 for seven. After the break, Ashraful and Rafique continued to plunder the lacklustre West Indies attack. (AFP)