(ESPN) West Indies showed they are determined to put up a fight during their Australia tour with a spirited effort on day two of their warm-up match in Adelaide.
Having struggled with the bat first-up against a Cricket Australia XI, the tourists produced a dynamic bowling spell of 6 for 22 to knock their opponents over for 174 at Karen Rolton Oval.
Their batting woes were back on full display in yesterday’s afternoon session, with top-order talents Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Kirk McKenzie both falling in soft fashion in their second innings.
But makeshift opener Joshua da Silva (55 not out) and No. 5 Kavem Hodge (44 not out) steadied the ship and showed some attacking flair to take their side to 137 for 3 at stumps. That’s a lead of 214 runs as the contest heads into its final day.
Things looked bleak for the tourists as the CA XI cruised to 94 for 1 before West Indies sliced through their batting card. The tourists had declared overnight to allow their bowlers a first crack in Australian conditions.
Uncapped quick Shamar Joseph was on-song with crafty swing bowling and vicious short balls helping him to 2 for 28, a gorgeous in-swinger that smashed the top of Teague Wyllie’s off stump the best delivery of the day. Joseph, one of seven uncapped players in the Windies squad, has surely bowled his way into the Test side.
Lead quick Kemar Roach improved in his second spell of the day to finish with 2 for 23 from his nine overs, while fellow paceman Alzarri Joseph took 2 for 40. West Indies initially struggled to contain CA XI opener Tim Ward who struck seven boundaries on his way to a half-century.
Chanderpaul, who made 17 in his side’s first innings, pushed a loose Liam Haskett delivery he didn’t need to play straight to gully to fall for his second-innings duck. McKenzie’s dismissal was just as avoidable, softly chipping Haskett straight to midwicket.
