ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Devon Thomas said controlling the middle overs against India A had been key to West Indies A’s first win of the five-match one-day series here Friday.
West Indies A piled 298 for nine off their 50 overs – the highest total of the series – after being sent in at Coolidge Cricket Ground and then successfully defended it, to come away with a nervy five-run victory in the end.
They stumbled early losing Kjorn Ottley for one to the fifth ball of the innings with three runs on the board but Thomas, who struck 70 from 95 balls at number three, inspired two successive half-century stands to ensure there was no repeat of the batting woes which plagued the hosts in the first three matches.
“After we lost that wicket in the first over, me and (Sunil) Ambris knew we had to build a partnership. We had to watch the ball as closely as possible, assess the wicket and build from there,” Thomas said.
“Not looking back in the past but in the middle overs we tend to lose a lot of wickets so we tried to control those middle overs and see how far we could take it.”
Thomas put on 73 for the second wicket with Ambris (46) and a further 81 for the third wicket with captain Roston Chase, who top-scored with 84 off 100 deliveries.
When Thomas holed out to long off in the 33rd over off off-spinner Washington Sundar, Chase ensured there was no collapse as he combined with Jonathan Carter (50) to post 97 for the fourth wicket.
In reply, India recovered from 160 for six in the 32nd over to put West Indies under pressure, and needed just nine to win off the last over.
However, medium pacer Rovman Powell bowled a brilliant last over to ensure victory for West Indies A.
Thomas, who also kept wicket, said he had urged the bowlers to keep the India A batsmen from scoring freely in order to build pressure.
“We just tried to get the [required] run rate up to 12. They played very well and they brought the game down to a very tight [situation],” Thomas pointed out.
“But it’s cricket so you never know what can happen. I enjoyed the victory more than the innings.”
The final match of the series is set for today at Coolidge.
