KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CMC – West Indies A needed just an hour and eight minutes on the final day to steamroll India A’s high-touted batting line-up and record a massive victory in the second unofficial Test here today.
The hosts claimed the last six wickets for 37 runs as India A, resuming the day on 57 for four in pursuit of 220 for victory, were bundled out for a paltry 94 runs to give the home side an impressive victory by 125 runs on an action-packed morning at Arnos Vale
Left-arm fast bowler Delorn Johnson, who bowled with great pace and bounce, took two wickets in the morning to end with a career-best six for 34 off 17 overs.
Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul took four for 22 – all four wickets coming on the final morning, as the experienced Indians looked at sea.
Permaul, who took five for 58 in the first innings ended with nine wickets in the match. He also made a vital 36 at number nine in the West Indies first innings to earn the Man-of-the-Match award.
Johnson, playing on his home ground with family cheering him on, ended with eight wickets in the match, following his first innings burst of two for 28.
“It feels really good to get this win. We played well and when you play well you deserve some success,” said Permaul.
“India have a ‘big’ batting line-up with guys who are well known in the IPL, but we knew once we worked hard and played good cricket over the five days we could beat them.
The captain added: “This is a good comeback after the way we lost in Barbados. We felt we should have won there. After that defeat we were a bit down. But we came back here and got it right.
This pitch favours spin, so I back myself to do well. It was great to see the way Johnno (Johnson) bowled. He gave everything. He never stopped running in.”
Permaul started the day from the Caribbean Sea End at the south and gave the West Indies the perfect start when he bowled Rohit Sharma for 13 in the day’s third over with a ball that crept.
Two balls later he flummoxed Wriddhiman Saha with a clever arm-ball and won an lbw verdict to send the batsman on his way without scoring.
Shortly thereafter, Johnson produced a superb out-swinger from around the wicket which Rahul Sharma (3) edged to the wicket-keeper Deveon Thomas.
Johnson them used the short ball against Shami Ahmed to good effect. The tail-ender required treatment for a blow on the left hand and later was struck on the body by another quick lifter.
Johnson then produced another bouncer which Ahmed (2) fended to give Thomas his fifth catch of the match.
With the Indians retreating, the end was not far away and it came with little drama. Permaul took the final wicket when Akshay Dareka missed a wild swipe at a flighted delivery and was bowled for eight.
The two teams travel to St Lucia for the third and final unofficial Test at Beausejour Cricket Gorund, which starts on Saturday.
