GROS ISLET, St Lucia, CMC – Test outcast Shai Hope pressed his case for a recall with an attacking half-century while Jermaine Blackwood struck a typically breezy fifty, but bowlers dominated as 14 wickets tumbled on the opening day of the four-day practice match here yesterday.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Blackwood XI were dismissed for 264 nearly an hour after tea at the Daren Sammy National Stadium, with Blackwood top-scoring with 85 and Hope hitting 79.
Kavem Hodge chipped in with 37 but the only other batsman to reach double figures was opener John Campbell with 20.
Notably, experienced left-hander Darren Bravo perished cheaply for seven while the in-form Kyle Mayers fell for a first-ball “duck’.
Off-spinning all-rounder Roston Chase, also fighting to regain his place in the Test squad, snatched four for 44 while Chemar Holder claimed three for 44 and
left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican, two for 35.
In reply, fast bowler Keon Harding (2-23) picked two wickets as Jahmar Hamilton’s XI tumbled to 44 for four at the close.
Nkrumah Bonner, one of the starts from West Indies’ recent outings, failed to score while Shamarh Brooks squandered the chance to impress selectors when he also fell cheaply for 14.
Hope had earlier done exactly the opposite, crunching 13 fours and a six as he got the attention of selectors with an innings requiring only 88 deliveries and two hours.
He put on 62 with the left-handed Campbell, who saw his bid to maintain a place for the upcoming series against South Africa fizzle, when he was well taken at gully by Bonner off Holder.
Bravo spent 11 deliveries at the crease in adding 42 with Hope before lazily clipping Holder to a short, straight-ish mid-wicket where Jayden Seales took an excellent catch diving to his left.
And off the very next delivery, Holder had Mayers taken at long leg, top-edging a swivel pull, to leave Blackwood XI on 104 for three.
Hope failed to carry on after the interval taken at 109 for three, adding only nine before nicking an excellent out-swinger from seamer Seales to be taken by Brooks at first slip.
Blackwood then inspired two successive half-century stands, first posting 54 for the fifth wicket with Joshua Da Silva (13) and then 77 for the sixth wicket with Hodge.
The right-hander struck ten fours and two sixes off 125 balls in a shade over 2-½ hours before he was sixth out lbw to Warrican.
Hodge, who toured Bangladesh earlier this year but failed to make his debut, hit four fours and a six off 78 deliveries but was the last out as Blackwood XI lost their last five wickets for just ten runs.
Hamilton XI then collapsed spectacularly, losing opener Shayne Moseley for one, caught low down at third slip off fast bowler Shannon Gabriel in the third over with the score on 16, and then Bonner pinned lbw to Harding on the back foot.
Brooks wafted at a wide long hop from Harding and edged behind while Kieran Powell (22) guided a short delivery from pacer Nial Smith to gully, two overs before the close.