BRISBANE, Australia, CMC – West Indies hit back late on the second day but Queensland Bulls took command of the four-day tour match after Nick Kruger and Wade Townsend carved out superb maiden first class centuries yesterday.
Kruger stroked an outstanding 172 and Townsend got an even hundred as Queensland finished on 383 for four in reply to the Windies’ 271 at the Allan Border Field.
Cruising at 296 for one in the afternoon session, the hosts seemed headed for a massive score but the tourists took three wickets for 46 runs late in the day to haul themselves back into the contest.
Despite being kept in the field all day, West Indies would have taken heart from the performance of 21-year-old rookie fast bowler Kemar Roach who bowled with sustained pace and troubled all the Queensland batsmen.
He finished with one for 67 from 23 overs and was the pick of the Windies bowlers on a pitch tailor-made for batting.
Resuming from their overnight position of 43 without loss, Queensland suffered an early setback in the eighth over of the day when Ryan Broad was caught at the wicket off Roach for 29, adding just four to his overnight score. Any thoughts West Indies had, however, of turning the screws on Queensland were quickly dispelled as Kruger and Townsend put their bowlers to the sword in an entertaining stand of 243 for the second wicket.
Kruger, unbeaten on 17 overnight, survived a testing spell from Roach to smash 20 fours and five sixes as he compiled his maiden first class century off 205 balls in a knock that lasted a shade under five hours.
Struck on the grill by a short delivery from Roach in the sixth over of the morning, the 26-year-old recovered well to pummel the Windies bowling.
The 23-year-old Townsend, in only his fourth first class match, meanwhile faced 242 balls in an innings that spanned 336 minutes and included 12 fours and a six.
Kruger, an attacking left-hander, lived a charmed life surviving three chances en route to his career-best score that formed the backbone of Queensland’s innings.
He was dropped at 40 by Ramnaresh Sarwan diving to his left at third slip, after failing to negotiate a short, quick delivery from medium pacer Dwayne Bravo, in the first over after the first water break of the morning.
The 26-year-old Kruger had added 31 when he offered Narsingh Deonarine a return catch which the Guyanese off-spinner floored and he was again given a reprieve on 91 when Adrian Barath put down a simple catch off Roach.
Riding his luck, Kruger brought up his century moments later when he cut left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn to the point boundary for his 16th four.
He then raised the tempo of his innings with bold stroke-play, smashing Benn for a massive six into an adjoining car park a few overs later before also lashing the same bowler for another six over long off in a subsequent over.
Kruger took delight in Bravo, reeling off successive boundaries off the first three balls of the 69th over and also launching Deonarine for successive sixes three overs later.
He eventually perished in the same manner in which he had played, holding out in the deep to Ravi Rampaul off Benn at 296 for two, just before tea.
West Indies then clawed their way back, with Deonarine prising out Lee Carseldine cheaply for six to a catch by Bravo at first slip in the third over after the break.
Townsend remained resolute, however, and a glance to fine leg off pacer Rampaul late in the day raised three figures for the left-hander.
He was kept scoreless by a fired up Roach off the next six balls and finally succumbed to the pressure, nicking Rampaul behind off the seventh ball he faced at 342 for four.
The left-handed Nathan Reardon then stroked an unbeaten 45 in an unbroken, 42-run fifth stand with Chris Hartley who was 10 not out at the close.
Queensland lead West Indies by 113 runs, with two days left in the contest.
