BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC- Discarded West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin smashed 70 from 76 balls to set the tone for West Indies Maroon to beat West Indies Blue by 20 runs in an exciting 50 overs a side practice match here on Friday.
Jason Mohammed also starred with the bat, hitting 58 from 67 balls to propel West Indies Maroon to 241 for eight at the Three Ws Oval in Cave Hill, Barbados.
Sulieman Benn grabbed three wickets and Mohammed returned to snatch two to stifle the run chase as West Indies Blue, with a late surge powered by lower order batsmen, reached 221 for eight when the overs ran out.
Jon-Russ Jagessar picked up three wickets for 44 runs to dismantle West Indies Maroon, who stumbled to 70 for three until Ramdin arrive to turn the innings around.
He struck two fours and four sixes while dominating two important partnerships-a 53 run stand for the fourth wicket with Darren Bravo and a fifth wicket recovery effort with Jason Mohammed that produced 84 runs. There was also a third significant partnership between Mohammed and Shamar Springer for the sixth wicket that yielded 45 runs.
Ashley Nurses contributed 36, Springer 26 and Bravo scored 19 for West Indies Maroon.
Blues’ run chase was severely disrupted by Benn who caused top order havoc when he removed Kraigg Brathwaite for 12, Kyle Hope for 32 and Kavem Hodge for 5 to finish with three for ten from six overs.
Blues slid to 82 for the loss of six wickets before tailender Delorn Johnson and middle order batsman Jahmar Hamilton led a gallant fight-back with overs running out.
Hamilton scored an even 50 and brought the innings back on course by putting on 54 runs for the 8th wicket with Veerasammy Permaul who scored 27.
Hamilton, whose knock featured three fours and two sixes, also put together 78 runs for the ninth wicket with Johnson who was unbeaten on 59 with four fours and five sixes.
The Match was reduced to 45 overs-a-side, due to an hour-long delay to the start.
It involved mainly members of the West Indies One-day International squad preparing for the upcoming series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, and West Indies A-Team preparing for their upcoming tour of Sri Lanka.
West Indies Maroon and West Indies Blue will play another 50 overs-a-side practice match tomorrow at the same venue.
