KHULNA, Bangladesh – Typically flamboyant hundreds from Kyle Hope and Andre Fletcher gave the Sagicor High Performance Centre (HPC) team a brilliant start to their tour match against the Bangladesh National Cricket Academy yesterday.
Hope was undefeated on 146 and Fletcher made 105, as the HPC amassed 394 for five in their first innings at the close on the opening day of the four-day match at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium.
Keddy Lesporis narrowly missed out on his hundred, when he was dismissed in the final hour for 97 and Marlon Barclay scored 31 to reinforce ruthless batting from the emerging West Indies players after they chose to bat.
Barbadian Hope, batting at No. 4, smote 14 fours and one six from 184 balls in 276 minutes, and Grenadian Fletcher, opening the batting, struck 16 fours and one six from 165 balls in 198 minutes.
The two HPC century-makers put on 138 for the third wicket, underlining their talent with an array of attractive strokes before Hope and Lesporis took control with a stand of 168 for the fourth wicket.
HPC suffered an early setback, when opener Kjorn Ottley was caught behind for a second-ball duck, top-edging a cut in the first over from Dollar Mahmud.
But Fletcher and left-hander Barclay put on 81 for the second wicket in quick time, giving the HPC the foundation for their massive total. (CMC)
