NORTH SOUND, Antigua — In an impressive display of skill and composure, Justin Greaves achieved his first test century on Saturday, as the West Indies declared at 450-9 during the second day of their inaugural test match against Bangladesh. Greaves finished with an unbeaten 115 runs, having previously recorded a best score of just 33 in test matches and a solitary century in 43 first-class contests. His maiden hundred came off 181 deliveries while batting at the number six spot.

The achievement stood out after Mikyle Louis and Alick Athanaze both fell short of the century mark, scoring 97 and 90, respectively, on the first day. By the time play ended due to bad light, Bangladesh found themselves at 40-2, needing to catch up with a daunting 410-run deficit. Shahadat Hossain remained at the crease with 10 runs, while Mominul Haque contributed 7.

The West Indies began the day’s play at 250-5 after being put in to bat following Bangladesh’s toss win. The match remained closely contested at 261-7, until Greaves formed a critical partnership with Kemar Roach, who was batting lower down the order at number nine. The duo collaborated for an impressive 140 runs for the eighth wicket, significantly shifting the momentum in favor of the West Indies. Roach managed a painstaking 47 runs from 144 balls, closely mirroring Greaves’ measured approach, which included 128 deliveries classified as dot balls.

Roach expressed his commendation for Greaves, noting their shared background and mutual understanding of each other’s batting prowess. “We’re great friends, often engaging in discussions about cricket both on and off the field, which helped us during our partnership,” Roach mentioned. The 30-year-old Greaves was making his return to test cricket after a 10-month absence and displayed a remarkable ability to rotate the strike, accumulating runs primarily through singles, twos, and threes while only hitting four boundaries in total.

Roach recognized Greaves’ potential and commitment to improvement, remarking on his past success with four centuries in domestic one-day matches in the West Indies as a sign of his current form. “It was a brilliant performance,” Roach stated. “From the very beginning, I had high hopes for him.”

With a restrained approach to striking, Roach hit two boundaries and maintained a modest strike rate of 32.6, effectively supporting Greaves in building their vital partnership. After Alzarri Joseph’s dismissal for four runs, caught spectacularly by Zakir Hasan off Hasan Mahmud, Greaves and Roach came together in the 87th over. They systematically ticked off milestones, with Greaves reaching his half-century in 88 balls. Despite brief rain interruptions, the two managed a steady pace of scoring three runs per over, eventually taking the West Indies to a position of 336-7 by lunch.

Roach’s innings came to an end in the 134th over, with the score at 401-8, when a delivery from Mahmud, pitching outside off stump, took him by surprise, resulting in a dismissal. Greaves was on the verge of reaching his century at 98 runs when Roach was dismissed but maintained his focus, ultimately achieving his landmark four balls later, raising his bat to the cheers of the crowd.