CAPE TOWN – West Indies Over-50s (WI O-50s) backed up a credible bowling performance with resolute batting to register a confidence-boosting two-wicket victory over India Over-50s in their second warm-up match ahead of the Over 50s Cricket World Cup (O-50sCWC) which begins tomorrow in Cape Town, South Africa.
India Over-50s won the toss and opted to bat in sunny and windy conditions at Groot Drakenstein Oval but were not allowed to get away.
The opening batsmen looked comfortable against right arm medium pacers Kenny Girdharry and Sudesh Dhaniram who shared the new ball on a pitch with good bounce and carry with a fast outfield in the valley of the Groot Drakenstein mountains which stood out prominently in the background.
However, as they were beginning to threaten Girdharry got the breakthrough when Verinder Boombla was adjudged LBW for seven.
The rest of the top order showed fight with some crucial partnerships and also exposed the cream of their batting in the warm-up for the big dance. After 45 overs, the O-50s CWC debutants were 194-5 with Tushar Zaveri top scoring with 42 (49 balls; 5×4) before retiring. Other useful contributions came from Iqbal Khan 39, Sanjay Beri 34 and PG Sunder with 20.
Off-spinner, Azad Mohammed was the pick of the WI O-50s bowler with 2/16 and was supported nicely by Girdharry with 1/22 and captain Zamin Amin 1/24 with his left-arm spin.
Asked to score at a rate of under 4.5 runs per over to win, West Indies were reduced to 74-4 then 113-6 to give India a glimmer of hope. However, the lower order showed tremendous fighting spirit to reach 197-8 from 44.2 overs to seal victory by two wickets with four balls to spare.
Sudesh Dhaniram, who looked set to see his team home then ran down the wicket and missed after a shot-filled 43 (54 balls; 8×4). At 108-5 the game was thrown wide open.
But then Roy Singh and the lower order had other ideas. With captain Zamin Amin, Singh added 24 for the seventh wicket after joining forces at 113-6 to put the run chase back on track even though India were still in the game. After Amin was dismissed for 14, Girdharry and Singh played smartly to put on a crucial partnership of the run chase. Their 35 run-stand all but sealed the deal before another twist.
When Girdharry was caught at the wicket for 11, WI O-50s still needed 24 runs from six overs with two wickets in hand.
Out came Hafiz Mohamed who was cool as a cucumber with Singh as they easily got the required runs for the moral boosting win.
Singh ended on 39 not out from 66 balls and two fours while Hafiz Mohamed 10 not out. Earlier, opener Ishwar Maraj blasted 4 fours from 29 balls in his cameo of 24.
For India, Iqbal Khan came back with the ball to end with 2/22 while Mayank Khandwala supported with 2/22.
India are in group B and will begin their campaign also tomorrow against England at Green Point Cricket Club.
