Despite an unbeaten 64 from wicketkeeper/batsman, Devon Thomas, West Indies A suffered their second defeat in the current Tri Nation Series, losing by seven wickets to India A at Leicester yesterday.
West Indies A were off to a poor start, losing the wicket of Jermaine Blackwood off the second ball of the match but recovered to post a fairly respectable 221 in 49.1 overs.
India A, however, raced to the target in 38.1 overs.
After Blackwood’s departure, Andre McCarthy spent 13 minutes at the crease before a 72-run stand between Jason Mohammed and Chadrapaul Hemraj shifted the match back in the balance.
Hemraj, a naturally aggressive batsman, smashed eight fours and one six but missed out on a chance to notch up his maiden 50 in List A cricket after he was sharply run out by Shubman Gill for 45.
Wickets kept tumbling with Mohammed not spending much time at the crease.
Thomas, though, batted well with the lower order, allowing West Indies A to get up past the 200 run mark with his sixth half century.
The damage was done mostly by Deepak Chahar with his maiden five-wicket haul. He took 5-27 while the rest of the bowlers chipped in with one wicket each.
In reply, the Caribbean side once again failed to take crucial wickets, allowing Mayak Agarwal and Gill to put up a 148-run partnership for the second wicket.
Agarwal, in the process ,raised his 10th century, 112 from 102 balls consisting of 11 fours and a pair of sixes.
While Agarwal notched up his landmark, Gill guided the innings to its target with a superb 58 in a relatively slow manner, soaking up 92 balls.
If West Indies A are to make the finas, it means they will have to beat both England Lions and India A when they meet in the second round of the Tri-Series.
