KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CMC – Kirk Edwards fell just short of his second first-class hundred, but Khurram Manzoor succeeded in scoring his 13th, as West Indies-A drew with Pakistan-A in their badly rain-affected, opening four-day “Test” yesterday.
After Kraigg Brathwaite was dismissed for 130, Edwards took control of the Windies-A batting with an innings of 94 that allowed the home team to declare on 305 for three in their first innings about 20 minutes after lunch on the fourth and final day.
Windies-A were then put under pressure, as Manzoor used the remainder of the day to hit an even, undefeated 100 to lead Pakistan to 156 for one when stumps were drawn at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex.
The result meant that the “two-Test” series remains level at 0-0, with the final match to start on Wednesday at the same venue.
It was a small wonder that play started promptly, after a water-logged outfield due to overnight and early morning rain on Saturday meant not a ball was bowled on the third day.
West Indies-A continued from their overnight 216 for one, with Brathwaite and Edwards firmly entrenched.
But Brathwaite was caught at deep mid-off in the second hour from the bowling of left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar, who ended with three wickets for 122 runs from 52.5 overs.
The teenaged Windies-A opener struck one-dozen boundaries from 414 balls in 8 ¼ hours of batting, and added 169 for the second wicket with Edwards.
He had also put on 91 for the first wicket with left-handed opener Kieran Powell, whose dismissal for an even 50 on the second day seemed a long time ago.
Windies-A were 260 for two in the first hour, and reached 297 for two at lunch, as Edwards and Assad Fudadin continued to grind away.
Windies-A continued after the interval to give Edwards a chance at his 50, but Zulfiqar had him caught at cover.
He struck eight fours and one six from 273 balls in just over six hours of batting, and put on 45 with Fudadin for the third wicket before his dismissal prompted the Windies-A declaration.
West Indies bowled steadily to restrict Pakistan-A to 38 without loss at tea, but their bowlers were punished after the break, as Manzoor cut loose.
Odean Brown trapped Umair Khan lbw for 15 in the first hour after the break, but Umar Amin came to the crease, and shepherded the opener to his landmark, which came on the stroke of the close from 154 balls in three hours, and included eight fours and two sixes.
Rain hampered both sides in the match. Not a ball was bowled after West Indies reached 63 without loss at the lunch interval on the opening day [Thursday], and wet conditions due to rain again delayed the start by two hours and 40 minutes on the second day [Friday] before Saturday’s washout.
The inclement weather had also hampered the preparations of the teams on the eve of the match on Wednesday.
The weather forecast does not make encouraging reading for the second Test either. There is a 50-60 per cent chance of showers for three of the four days.
SCOREBOARD
WEST INDIES-A 1st Innings
(overnight 216 for one)
K. Powell c Shan Masood b Zulfiqar Babar 50
K. Brathwaite c Anwar Ali b Zulfiqar Babar 130
K. Edwards c Anwar Ali b Zulfiqar Babar 94
A. Fudadin not out 15
Extras (b5, lb3, nb8) 16
TOTAL (3 wkts decl’d, 145.5 overs, 13:28) 305
J. Carter, *D. Bernard, +D. Ramdin, V. Permaul, J. Holder, O. Brown, S. Gabriel did not bat
Fall of wickets: 1-91 (Powell), 2-260 (Brathwaite), 3-305 (Edwards)
Bowling: Yasir Arafat 25-9-50-0; Anwar Ali 30-15-52-0 (nb2); Junaid Khan 25-16-56-0 (nb4); Zulfiqar Babar 52.5-14-122-3; Faisal Isbal 4-1-7-0; Umer Amin 9-3-12-0 (nb2)
PAKISTAN-A 1st Innings
Khurram Manzoor not out 100
Umair Khan lbw b Brown 15
Umer Amin not out 27
Extras (b11, nb3)
TOTAL (1 wkt, 50.3 overs) 156-1
Aamer Sajjad, *Faisal Iqbal, +Sarfraz Ahmed, Shan Masood, Yasir Arafat, Junaid Khan, Anwar Ali, Zulfiqar Babar did not bat
Fall of wickets: 1-51 (Umair Khan)
Bowling: Gabriel 7-1-17-0 (nb1); Holder 9-2-14-0 (nb1); Bernard 4-1-6-0; Brown 16.3-3-51-1 (nb1); Permaul 14-2-51-0
Result: Match drawn
Series: Two-Test series level 0-0
Man-of-the-Match: K. Brathwaite (Windies-A)
Umpires: N. Duguid, P. Nero
Reserve umpire: G. Greaves
