KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CMC – Out-of-favour teenaged Test opener Kraigg Brathwaite produced a wonderful single-minded effort to prop us West Indies A on the opening day of the second unofficial “Test” against India A here yesterday.
The obdurate right-hander batted the entire day to finish unbeaten on 66 and guide the hosts to 212 for eight after they opted to bat first at Arnos Vale. In danger of falling apart at 23 for two and then 130 for six, the Windies found solace in Brathwaite’s lion-hearted effort to resist the clinical Indians.
The 19-year-old has so far batted a shade over six hours, faced 292 balls and struck seven fours.
Fast bowler Ashok Dinda led the visitors’ attack to finish with two for 22, while off-spinner Rohit Sharma picked up two for 31 and seamer Shami Ahmed, two for 43.
West Indies A were in early trouble when Justin Guillen, in for the injured Leon Johnson who has returned home, was taken at short mid-on by Manoj Tiwary for five with the score on 13. And with just 10 runs added, Donovan Pagon was bowled by leg-spinner Rahul Sharma, ambitiously attempting to hit over the top.
Brathwaite and Nkrumah Bonner then came together to stop the haemorrhaging, putting on 48 for the second wicket and carrying Windies A to lunch without further loss. After the interval, Bonner added just eight before rushing down the wicket to let-arm spinner Akshay Darekar and finding himself stumped for 25, to leave the hosts on 71 for three.
Bonner faced 47 balls in 49 minutes and counted four fours. Rohit Sharma then enjoyed a good spell as West Indies A lost four wickets for 59 runs to slip to 130 for six.
Brathwaite came to his side’s rescue, however, anchoring two partnerships to keep the Indians at bay and see his side past the 200-run mark. He added 34 for the seventh wicket with Jason Holder who scored 20 and then put on another 47 for the eighth wicket with Veersammy Permaul who stroked a cameo 36 from 40 balls.
Holder faced 34 balls and struck one four and a six before edging Ahmed behind while Permaul counted five fours and a six before dragging on to Dinda late in the day. Brathwaite was not all defence, coming down the wicket to drive Rahul Sharma to the cover boundary for his seventh four and raise a well deserved half-century.
Scoreboard
WEST INDIES 1st innings
K Brathwaite not out 66
J Guillen c Tiwary b Ahmed 5
D Pagon b Rahul Sharma 11
N Bonner st Saha b Darekar 25
J Carter c Dhawan b Rohit Sharma 19
K Corbin c Rahane b Dinda 13
+D Thomas lbw b Rohit Sharma 5
J Holder c wkp Saha b Ahmed 20
*V Permaul b Dinda 36
D Johnson not out 0
Extras (b1, lb1, w1, nb9) 12
TOTAL (8 wkts, 90 overs) 212
To bat: D Bishoo
Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Guillen), 2-23 (Pagon), 3-71 (Bonner), 4-98 (Carter), 5-119 (Corbin), 6-130 (Thomas), 7-164 (Holder), 8-211 (Permaul)
Bowling: Dinda 18-8-22-2, Ahmed 19-6-43-2, Darekar 20-4-59-1, Rahul 18-5-54-1, Rohit 14-4-31-2, Dhawan 1-0-1-0
INDIA A: C Pujara (captain), W Saha (vice captain/wicket-keeper), A Mukund, S Dhawan, A Rahane, R Sharma, M Tiwary, R Sharma, A Dinda, A Darekar, S Ahmed
Toss: West Indies
Umpires: Gregory Brathwaite, Joel Wilson.
