BRISBANE, Australia, CMC – West Indies’ preparations for the three-Test series against Australia were left in a state of crisis after the Caribbean side suffered a humiliating ten-wicket defeat at the hands of a youthful Cricket Australia XI here yesterday.
Resuming from their overnight 125 for seven in their second innings, West Indies managed to avoid the ignominy of an innings defeat when they rallied to 210 all out.
However, they left the hosts with a mere ten runs for victory at Allan Border Field and the side, featuring six players on first class debut, required 17 balls to complete victory and leave the Windies in disarray ahead of the first Test in Hobart starting December 10.
Captain Jason Holder said afterward West Indies had a huge task ahead of pulling themselves together for the Test series.
“Obviously we are going to cop a bit of criticism but we need to improve no doubt about it,” the 24-year-old said. “We are at a stage now where we need to make strides forward, we have been stagnant the last few months. We need to pick ourselves up, look ourselves in the mirror and find something in ourselves.”
Holder was the only bright spark, top-scoring with 65 while tail-ender Kemar Roach scored 36, in a crucial 79-run, eighth wicket partnership which spared the Windies blushes.
Starting the day on 26, Holder counter-attacked with four fours and three sixes off 99 balls while Roach, unbeaten on nine overnight, offered great support in his 63-ball innings which included four fours.
When Roach fell to leg-spinner Cameron Boyce, Devendra Bishoo arrived to help delay the inevitable, scoring 16 from 19 balls in helping to add a further 32 for the ninth wicket.
He had struck three fours when he cut Boyce to Matthew Short at backward points and Holder continued to play his shots until he was caught at slip, attempting a reverse sweep off off-spinner Short.
Scoreboard
WEST INDIES 1st Innings 243
CRICKET AUSTRALIA XI 1st Innings 444
WEST INDIES 2nd Innings
(overnight 125 for seven)
K Brathwaite c Bazley b Lees 0
R Chandrika c sub (T Paine) b Bazley 21
DM Bravo c wkp Peirson b Bazley 5
M Samuels lbw b Boyce 21
J Blackwood c wkp Peirson b Lees 0
+D Ramdin c Andrews b Lees 12
*J Holder c Boyce b Short 65
C Brathwaite b Boyce 31
K Roach c Inglis b Boyce 36
D Bishoo c Short b Boyce 16
S Gabriel not out 1
Extras (b1, w1) 2
TOTAL (all out, 58.2 overs) 210
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (K Brathwaite), 2-7 (Bravo), 3-36 (Chandrika), 4-37 (Blackwood), 5-59 (Ramdin), 6-59 (Samuels), 7-97 (C Brathwaite), 8-176 (Roach), 9-208 (Bishoo), 10-210 (Holder).
Bowling: Lees 20-3-68-3, Bazley 14-3-39-2, Boyce 20-1-84-2, Andrews 3-1-15-0, Short 1.2-0-3-1.
CRICKET AUSTRALIA XI 2nd innings (target: 10 runs)
J Carder not out 7
T Paine not out 6
TOTAL (without loss, 2.5 overs) 13
Bowling: Roach 1.5-0-8-0, Gabriel 1-0-5-0.
Result: Cricket Australia XI won by ten wickets.
Toss: West Indies.
Umpires: P Gillespie, S Nogajski.
