LEICESTER, England, CMC – Young pacer Andre Russell’s five-wicket haul failed to overshadow another dour batting display as West Indies A were left staring defeat on the penultimate day of the opening four-day “Test” against India A yesterday.
The 22-year-old Russell, a late call up to the squad as a replacement, claimed five for 68 to limit the Indians to 291 all out after they resumed from a powerful overnight position of 183 for two.
By the close at Grace Road, however, West Indies A had slipped to 125 for five, still requiring another 22 runs to avoid an innings defeat.
Yet again, the Caribbean side was undone by debutant left-arm seamer Jaidev Unadkat who followed up his seven-wicket haul in the first innings by capturing three for 41, to shine once again.
West Indies A did well to recover from the early loss of opener Kraigg Brathwaite for one at 16 for one in the fourth over of the innings, to reach 102 for two late in the day.
But the 18-year-old Unadkat struck two telling blows late in the session, removing the resolute left-hander Omar Phillips for 35 and the aggressive Chadwick Walton for seven, as three wickets fell for 23 runs.
Kirk Edwards has so far spent over an hour in gathering seven and was partnered by all-rounder David Bernard jr at the close who was yet to score.
Earlier, Windies A had done well to limit the powerful Indian line-up, snaring the last eight wickets for 108 runs.
The dangerous Ajinkya Rahane added just three to his overnight, unbeaten 69 before perishing at the hands of Russell before the 22-year-old Jamaican also accounted for Manish Pandey for six at 202 for four.
Russell then orchestrated a slide by snatching three quick wickets as India A lost five wickets for as many runs in the space of six overs.
He bowled Manoj Tiwary for two, had Chandrasekar Ganapathy caught at the wicket for one before also bowling Iqbal Abdulla without scoring two balls later to leave India A on 207 for eight.
In between, pacer Gavin Tonge (2-86) claimed Cheteshwar Pujara for 44, after the right-hander resumed the day on 34.
Wicketkeeker/batsman Wriddhiman Saha then scored an even fifty, leading two partnerships to frustrate Windies A.
Saha, who played his only senior Test this year against South Africa, struck five fours and a six off 91 balls in 143 minutes at the crease, posting 23 for the ninth wicket with Dhawal Kulkarni and then another 61 for the last wicket with Unadkat (12 not out).
He was last out, lbw to seamer Lionel Baker who finished with two for 55.
Brathwaite then fell lbw to Unadkat before captain Devon Smith and Phillips added a crucial 59 for the second wicket.
The left-handed Smith cracked six fours in an innings spanning 76 balls and 104 minutes before he was bowled medium pacer Ganapathy at 75 for two.
Phillips, whose 35 lasted nearly an hour-and-a-half and required 73 balls, was eventually bowled by Unadkat at 102 for three as the slide began.
Scoreboard
WEST INDIES A 1st Innings 144 (Imran Khan 28; Jaidev Unadkat 7-41)
INDIA A 1st Innings (overnight 183 for two)
A Mukund lbw b Khan 54
S Dhawan c Smith b Tonge 17
A Rahane c (sub) b Russell 69
*C Pujara c Smith b Tonge 44
M Pandey c Smith b Russel l 6
M Tiwary b Russell 2
+W Saha lbw b Baker 50
C Ganapathy c wkpr Walton b Russell 1
Iqbal Abdulla b Russell 0
D Kulkarni c wkpr Walton b Baker 13
J Unadkat not out 12
Extras (lb8, w12, nb3) 23
TOTAL (all out, 92 overs) 291
Fall of wickets: 1-48 (Dhawan), 2-130 (Mukund), 3-188 (Rahane), 4-202 (Pandey), 5-206 (Tiwary), 6-206 (Pujara), 7-207 (Ganapathy), 8-207 (Iqbal Abdulla), 9-230 (Kulkarni), 10-291 (Saha).
Bowling: Tonge 26-3-86-2, Baker 16.5-3-55-2, Russell 27-9-68-5, Bernard 13-2-36-0, Khan 8.1-0-33-1, Smith 1-0-5-0.
WEST INDIES A 2nd innings
*D Smith b Ganapathy 37
K Brathwaite lbw b Unadkat 1
O Phillips b Unadkat 35
A Fletcher run out 14
K Edwards not out 7
+C Walton lbw b Unadkat 13
D Bernard not out 0
Extras (b4, lb11, w1, nb2) 18
TOTAL (5 wkts, 47.1 overs) 125
Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Brathwaite), 2-75 (Smith), 3-102 (Phillips), 4-106 (Fletcher), 5-125 (Walton).
Bowling: Kulkarni 16-6-38-0, Unadkat 18.1-6-41-3, Ganapathy 9-3-27-1, Iqbal Abdulla 4-3-4-0.
Position: Windies A require another 22 runs to make India A bat again.
Umpires: Rob Bailey, Jeremy Lloyds.
