CHATTOGRAM, Bangladesh, CMC – Debutant Kyle Mayers, the hero of the historic first Test win over Bangladesh today, says he is yet to wrap his mind around the accomplishment.
The 28-year-old lashed an amazing unbeaten 210 as West Indies chased down 395 on the final day at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium to upset the hosts by three wickets and take a shock 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.
“I don’t think I really understand [fully] what happened in the game so far,” Mayers told an online media conference.
“Everything that happened has been a blur. I can’t really explain. The congratulations from my teammates, from the coaches, from the guys working with us here in Bangladesh was outstanding.
“I still can’t leave what I’ve done so far. Hopefully when I wake up tomorrow, it will hit me.”
He continued: “Of course it’s a great feeling, first of all to be playing Test cricket and then to be scoring a hundred and then going on to score a double and then going on to win the game for my team.
“It’s a special knock for me, it’s the highest score I’ve ever scored in my life so I’m very happy.
“I have to be thankful. I give thanks to the coach, the captain, my teammates who bowled at me all through this game, the coaches back home, my family [and] everyone who’s been there with me.”
Resuming the day on 110 for three with the left-handed Mayers on 37 and debutant Nkrumah Bonner on 15, West Indies defied Bangladesh for the next two sessions to reach tea on 266 without further loss.
The pair posted 216 for the fourth wicket, with Bonner perishing for 86 in the first over after tea.
With 129 needed in the final session, the Caribbean side lost four wickets but Mayers held firm, to become the only the second West Indies batsman and the sixth batsman overall, to hit a double hundred on debut.
Mayers said he and Bonner had focussed on spending time at the crease and selectively looking to advance the scoring.
“The discussions between me and Bonner were pretty simple, we just tried to enjoy the moment,” said the Barbadian.
“Our first game at Test level, we just tried to stay as cool as possible, we tried not to watch the scoreboard and we knew that if we batted time that our team would have been in good stead.
“So we just tried to focus on batting time, staying tight, reminding each other to stay as positive as possible, to capitalise on any opportunities to score because the conditions were not easy so scoring helped us put pressure back on the opposition.”
The run chase was the fifth highest in Test history and the highest ever to be completed on the Asian continent, and Mayers said the Windies’ confidence regarding the target had never wavered.
“We never gave up. We always said in the dressing room to keep fighting regardless of the situation,” he explained.
“The skipper (Kraigg Brathwaite), the coach (Phil Simmons) always keep us going … and the guys put in a proper effort, especially the bowlers on a wicket like that.
“Shannon put in a great effort [on the fourth day] and that inspired all the guys to do well.”
He continued: “To be honest, the spirit in the dressing room was always positive. From the [fourth] day we came out and bowled in the second innings … when we got back inside the dressing room after taking a couple of wickets the evening, the coach, the captain and everyone was saying the game was wide open and it’s up for grabs.
“So we always had the belief that we would’ve done well and once we stuck to our game plan as long as possible, that we knew the team would’ve come out victorious.”
