CAVE HILL, Barbados, CMC – An inexplicable batting collapse, triggered by Ben Hilfenhaus and Nathan Lyon, put the WICB President’s XI on the verge of defeat against Australia in their three-day, tour match yesterday.
No President’s XI batsman distinguished himself, as Hilfenhaus finished with the flattering figures of four wickets for eight runs from seven overs and Lyon captured four for 17 from seven overs, sending the home team crashing to 98 all out in their second innings about 35 minutes before the scheduled close at the Three Ws Oval.
The President’s XI then failed to make a breakthrough, as Australia, chasing 86 for victory, reached 30 without loss in their second innings at the close on the second day with left-handed opener Ed Cowan not out on 15 and Shane Watson not out on 10.
This followed the dramatic batting collapse from the President’s XI, after the President’s XI did well to dismiss Australia for 214 in their first innings, despite a top score of 53 from Peter Forrest which included two fours and three sixes from 139 balls in just over 2 ¼ hours.
The President’s XI were setback early, when West Indies opener Kieran Powell was lbw to Hilfenhaus for a duck in the second over, playing back and across to a long-hop that never got past his ankle. Two overs later, Nkrumah Bonner was caught at gully for two off the same bowler, looking to play into the leg-side.
The President’s XI were 10 for two, but Kyle Corbin came to crease and with Devon Smith brought some stability to the top order, carrying the hosts to 42 for two at tea.
After the break, things started to unravel for the President’s XI, after Smith was bowled by James Pattinson for 18 playing down the wrong line to have his off-stump extracted.
After his departure, there was neither substance nor stability from the rest of the batting, apart from the President’s XI captain Carlton Baugh Jr, whose 27 not out was the top score.
The middle-order batting crumbled against the spin of Lyon before Hilfenhaus returned to mop up the tail with incisive fast-medium bowling.
Earlier, off-spinner Ryan Austin and Bonner, bowling his part-time leg-spin, brought the President’s XI back into the match.
They both captured three for 43 from 17 and 11 overs respectively, after the visitors resumed from their overnight total of 81 for one.
Kevin McClean gave the President’s XI an early strike, when he had Australia captain Michael Clarke caught behind for 30.
The hosts were cock-a-hoop, when Delorn Johnson had former Australia captain Ricky Ponting caught behind down the leg-side for 13 hooking at a bouncer, leaving the visitors 113 for four.
But the President’s XI met defiance from the two Peters, Forrest and Nevill, the pair putting on 49 for the fifth wicket to steady the ship.
Bonner scalped Nevill on the stroke of lunch, when the Australia wicketkeeper/batsman edged a back-foot drive and was caught behind for 25.
After lunch, Bonner and Austin worked their way through the Australia lower-order, but Forrest reached his 50 from 110 balls with his third four off the leg-spinner before the Aussies declared close to an hour after lunch.
The match is the only warm-up for Australia prior to the three-Test series against Australia with the first set to start on Saturday at Kensington Oval just a few kilometres south of this venue in the Barbados capital of Bridgetown.
Scoreboard
WICB PRESIDENT’S XI 1st Innings 201
(D.R. Smith 62; R. Harris 4-23)
AUSTRALIA 1st Innings
(overnight 81 for two)
S. Watson lbw b Pascal 42
E. Cowan c Holder b Austin 12
*M. Clarke c wkpr *Baugh b McClean 30
R. Ponting c wkpr *Baugh b Johnson 13
P. Forrest not out 53
+P. Nevill c wkpr *Baugh b Bonner 25
P. Siddle lbw b Bonner 3
R. Harris lbw b Bonner 5
J. Pattinson c D.S. Smith b Austin 0
B. Hilfenhaus b Austin 7
N. Lyon not out 6
Extras (b4, lb3, nb11) 18
TOTAL (9 wkts decl’d, 64 overs) 214
M. Beer did not bat
Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-62, 3-107, 4-113, 5-162, 6-166, 7-188, 8-189, 9-199
Bowling: Pascal 8-0-57-1 (nb10); Johnson 9-2-17-1; Austin 17-3-43-3; McClean 10-4-27-1 (nb1); Holder 6-1-13-0; D.R. Smith 3-1-7-0; Bonner 11-1-43-3
WEST INDIES 2nd Innings
D.S. Smith b Pattinson 18
K. Powell lbw b Hilfenhaus 0
N. Bonner c Cowan b Hilfenhaus 2
K. Corbin c *Clarke b Lyon 21
D. Thomas b Lyon 12
*+C. Baugh not out 27
D.R. Smith c Cowan b Lyon 0
J. Holder c Pattinson b Lyon 8
K. McClean lbw b Hilfenhaus 0
D. Johnson lbw b Hilfenhaus 0
N. Pascal c Hilfenhaus b Siddle 0
Extras (b4, lb4, nb2) 10
TOTAL (all out, 33 overs) 98
R. Austin did not bat
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-10, 3-50, 4-63, 5-70, 6-70, 7-96, 8-96, 9-96
Bowling: Harris 7-3-25-0; Hilfenhaus 7-4-8-4 (nb1); Pattinson 6-0-29-1 (nb1); Siddle 5-2-10-1; Lyon 7-1-17-4; Beer 1-0-1-0
AUSTRALIA 2nd Innings (target: 86)
E. Cowan not out 15
S. Watson not out 10
Extras (b4, w1) 5
TOTAL (without loss, 8 overs) 30
Bowling: Johnson 3-1-7-0 (w1); Austin 3-0-15-0; Bonner 2-0-4-0
Position: Australia need 56 more to win with all second innings wickets standing
Players-a-side: 12 (11 bat, 11 field)
Umpires: G. Brathwaite, J. Wilson
Match referee: M. Jones
Reserve umpire: J. Blades
