West Indies ‘A’ failed to capitalise on their good start and were dismissed for 268 on the first day of their third unofficial Test against India A. The Caribbeans were sitting pretty at 240 for 5 in 70 overs, but imploded as their batsmen perished to poor strokes. They lost the other five for a 28 runs.
However, one cannot take away any credit from Abhishek Nayar, who bowled a steady line and length to grab four victims. Dhawal Kulkarni, included in place of Mohammad Shami, too supported him manfully and picked three wickets.
However, Zaheer Khan, who was expected to get good purchase from this greenish wicket, failed to trouble the opponents and finished with just only wicket. His first over was wayward but gradually he regained his rhythm got his first wicket of the match in his fourth over.
Much to India’s relief, it was the prized-wicket of Kraigg Brathwaite, the batting hero in Shimoga last week. Here, though, he was patchy and struggled for 16 deliveries to open his account. However, he didn’t stay long. After edging Zaheer’s first ball of the over, which fell just short of a diving Gambhir in the first slip, he nicked the third ball of the wicket-keeper Uday Kaul.
Soon they lost skipper Kieran Powell as well. He, too, wasn’t comfortable against Zaheer but somehow survived to 21 before Kulkarni nailed him with a peach − a ball that swung in late to disrupt his stumps.
But Leon Johnson, promoted up the order, proved his mettle. With Narsingh Deonarine, he stitched a partnership of 70 runs before combining 52 with Assad Fudadin. Johnson, unbeaten on 81 at tea, might have resumed the last session with hopes of a hundred. But that wasn’t to be, as Nayar dismissed him with the fifth ball upon resumption.
Even then, they seemed destined for a 300-plus score. But a combination of their batsmen’s recklessness and India’s disciplined bowling undid them.
SCOREBOARD
West Indies ‘A’ (1st Innings): Brathwaite c Kaul b Zaheer 1, Powell b Kulkarni 21, Johnson lbw Nayar 81, Deonaraine c Kaul b Nayar 35, Fudadin c Jagadish b Kulkarni 47, Karter c Kaul b Pandey 17, Hamilton b Kulkarni 15, Miller c Dogra b Nayar 18, Nurse lbw Bhatt 4, Johnson c Kulkarni b Nayar 0, Cummings (not out) 0. Extras (w 4, b 12, nb 2, lb 11) 29. Total (in 77.4 overs) 268. Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-53, 3-123, 4-175, 5-199, 6-240, 7-251, 8-265, 9-268, 10-268. Bowling: Zaheer 15-5-33-1, Pandey 16-4-44-1, Kulkarni 16-4-60-3, Nayar 20.4-6-61-4, Bhatt 10-1-47-0.
India ‘A’ (1st Innings): Jagadish (batting) 8, Gambhir(batting) 2. Total (for no loss in 5 overs) 10. Bowling: Cummings 2-1-5-0, Johnson 2-1-2-0, Carter 1-0-3-0.
