KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Erratic young batsman Xavier Marshall smashed a shot-filled half century to place David Bernard’s XI in control of Jamaica’s latest practice match for the 2010 West Indies first-class season on Sunday. The out-of-favour West Indies batsman cracked 69 at near run-a-ball rate to steer Bernard’s side to 244 for four in reply to 182 all out by Tamar Lambert’s XI on the second day of the trial match at Melbourne.
Resuming on 10 without loss, Bernard’s XI easily grabbed first innings advantage behind Marshall’s knock. The 23-year-old Marshall stroked 13 boundaries and Bernard’s side also got useful scores from Horace Miller and Shawn Findlay. Miller, a member of the West Indies Under-19 team to the Youth World Cup in Malaysia last year, scored 40 not out and Findlay hit 39.
Brenton Parchment (27), Maverick Perry (25 not out), and John-Ross Campbell 23 were the next highest scorers against leg-spinner Andre Dwyer (2-9), medium pacer Krishmar Santokie (1-47) and left-arm spinner Nikita Miller (1-36).
On Saturday’s opening day, Lambert’s XI flopped as pacer Andre Russell snared three for 59 with medium pacer Bernard and leg-spinner Odean Brown sharing four wickets.
Brown returned stifling figures of two for none off 3.4 overs.
Only Donovan Pagon, with a fluent 56 off 85 balls with 10 fours, Daren Powell (34) and Miller (33) recorded useful scores for Lambert’s XI.
The match continued yesterday.
