DHAKA, Bangladesh, CMC – West Indies A launched their tour of Bangladesh in fine style yesterday, beating South Africa A by 11 runs in their opening match of the Tri-Nation Limited Overs series.
Playing at the Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium, the Windies were inspired by off-spinner Shane Shillingford who lashed a late innings cameo before returning to rip out South Africa’s middle order with a four-wicket haul.
Choosing to bat first, West Indies were dismissed in the final over for 224 off 49.3 overs and they then limited the Proteas to 213 from 47.5 overs.
Barbados middle order batsman Kirk Edwards top scored with 49 while opener Devon Smith and captain Travis Dowlin both got 39.
Wicketkeeper Chadwick Walton slammed 31 down the order while Shillingford chipped in with 15 from nine balls to ensure the Windies finished with some aplomb.
South Africa got 51 from Morne Van Wyk at the top of the order to get their run chase up and running but Shillingford claimed four for 22 from a superb nine-over spell to get the Windies over the line.
West Indies got off to the worst possible start when they lost opener Justin Guillen without scoring to the third ball of the innings with the total on one.
Smith, who hit five fours off 59 balls and Dowlin, who counted four fours off 66 balls, then combined in an 89-run, second wicket stand to revive the innings.
West Indies then suffered a bad slide that saw them lose five wickets for 29 runs in the space of 48 balls to crash to 119 for six in the 29th over.
The major damage was done by off-spinner Thandi Tshabalala (2-36) who prised out Dowlin and left-hander Darren Bravo (2), while medium pacers Vernon Philander (2-32) and Ryan Harris (2-40), along with left-arm spinner Paul Harris (2-44) supported with crucial wickets.
But Edwards, who hit three fours off 83 balls and Walton, who smashed two sixes off 35 balls posted 56 for the seventh wicket. Both fell in successive overs, however, to leave West Indies A on 181 eight in the 46th over.
Shillingford came to their aid, belting two sixes while Lionel Baker hit a four and a six in 18 from 12 balls to gather valuable runs.
Baker got the Windies off well, claiming opener Jonathan Vandiar for 14 with the score on 20 in the fourth over before Morne Van Wyk and Colin Ingram put on a busy 40 from 42 balls for the second wicket.
The left-handed Ingram became the first of Shillingford’s wickets after striking six fours in 29 from 27 balls and they slipped to 70 for three when Shillingford removed the dangerous left-hander Rilee Rossouw who slammed two quick fours in eight.
Van Wyk, who hit two fours in a patient 89-ball innings, then added a valuable 72 for the fourth wicket with Ryan Bailey who spent 84 balls over gathering 35.
Fast bowler Nelon Pascal (3-43) claimed Bailey and when Dowlin prised out Van Wyk at 158 for six in the 40th over, the innings went into a tailspin.
