ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – An inexplicable batting collapse condemned West Indies-A to a 71-run defeat in the second One-day match against Pakistan-A yesterday.
Chasing 173 for victory from their allocation of 50 overs, Windies-A failed to inspire confidence in their batting, and were dismissed with 110 balls to spare in the match at the National Stadium Complex here.
Andre Fletcher struck four boundaries in the top score of 30 from 39 balls, and fellow opener Johnson Charles, another hometown boy, supported with 21 from 26 balls.
West Indies-A were undermined by left-arm spin bowler Zulfiqar Babar. He captured four wickets for 22 runs from 10 overs, left-arm medium-fast bowler Junaid Khan took three for 20 from seven overs, and leg-spinner Yasir Khan grabbed two for five from 3.4 overs.
The home team had sent Pakistan–A into bat, and dismissed them for 172 in 43.2 overs.
Aamer Sajjad hit the top score of 43, Umar Amin supported with 34, and Faisal Iqbal made 24.
Davendra Bishoo continued to impress with four wickets for 35 runs from nine overs.
Ravi Rampaul took three for 25 from eight overs.
West Indies-A got a steady start from their openers before Charles was lbw to Mohammad Rameez in the 18th over.
The hosts looked in control on 63 for one, but they lost Kirk Edwards caught behind for nine off Junaid, Kieran Powell caught behind off Zulfiqar, Jonathan Carter caught in the deep off Junaid, who also had Fletcher caught behind, which left them wobbling on 67 for five.
There was to be no comeback for Windies-A, with Zulfiqar and Yasir sharing the last five wickets, which fell for 24.
Earlier, Rampaul made the breakthrough for West Indies-A, when he removed opener Khurram Manzoor and Umair Khan to leave Pakistan-A 45 for two.
But Windies-A were held-up, when Aamer joined Umin, and they added 65 for the third wicket to bring some stability to the Pakistan-A batting.
When Jonathan Carter bowled Umin, there was little substance from the rest of the Pakistan-A batting, as Bishoo spun a web around their batsmen.
The two teams also play two “Tests” (over four days) in St. Vincent, starting on November 18th and 24th respectively.
