DHAKA, Bangladesh, CMC – Left-handed stroke-maker Darren Bravo reeled off a pulsating, unbeaten century to catapult West Indies A to a crushing 81-run defeat of South Africa A in the third match of their Tri-Nation Limited Overs match yesterday.
Winning the toss and batting, West Indies piled up 295 for five from their 50 overs with the 21-year-old Bravo carving out a superb 107 from 119 balls with 10 fours and a six.
In reply, South Africa got off to a good start but were undermined by the pace duo of Lionel Baker and Gavin Tonge, as they crumbled to 214 all out off 44.3 overs at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.
Baker, the out-of-favour senior team seamer, picked up four for 32 while Tonge captured three for 47. Consistent off-spinner Shane Shillingford supported well with two for 39.
The victory was the West Indies A’s third straight in the tournament and it put them on course to take the title easily, ahead of their two four-day “Tests” against the host team.
West Indies were given a handy start of 42 by left-handers Devon Smith (18) and Omar Phillips (25) but lost both in the space of 11 balls to slip to 49 for two in the 12th over.
When captain Travis Dowlin went cheaply for 16 to leave the Windies struggling at 67 for two in the 15th over, Bravo engineered two partnerships to put his side in control.
He posted an entertaining 133 for the fourth wicket with the in-form left-hander Brendan Nash whose 71 was run-a-ball and was decorated with four fours.
When Nash fell in the 39th over, Bravo found an ally in Kirk Edwards who slammed six fours and a six in pummelling an even 50 from 31 balls, as the duo added another 86 for the fifth wicket.
Morne Van Wyk and Stiann Van Zyl then got South Africa away nicely with a 50-run opening stand from just 40 balls.
The right-handed Van Wyk scored 34 from 22 balls with five fours and two sixes before he was bowled by Baker while Van Zyl got 18 before falling in similar fashion to Tonge.
Their dismissals sparked a collapse that saw South Africa lose six wickets for 69 runs, to slump to 119 for six in the 20th over.
Captain Thami Tsolekile, who top scored with 42 from 59 balls with four fours, then staged the best partnership of the innings by adding a precious 74 for the seventh wicket with Dean Elgar who scored 30 from 51 balls.
However, both fell in the space of 10 balls with just six runs added to leave South Africa on 196 for eight, a position from which they never recovered.
