ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Opener John Campbell extended his form with a half-century while Rahkeem Cornwall proved his all-round worth as 21 wickets tumbled on a dramatic penultimate day to hand Kraigg Brathwaite’s XI a four-wicket victory over Roston Chase’s XI in their four-day warm-up match here yesterday.
Set a modest 94 for victory at Coolidge Cricket Ground, left-arm seamer Raymon Reifer (2-15), leg-spinner Imran Khan (2-16) and part-time off-spinner Jermaine Blackwood (2-17) made life difficult, however, leaving Brathwaite’s XI to limp over the finish line. They were 70 for two at one stage on the backs of 29 from opener Kieran Powell 21 from Paul Palmer but a clatter of wickets meant for a messy chase in the end.
Resuming earlier on their overnight 242 for five, Brathwaite’s XI were dismissed for 346 to earn a 20-run first innings lead.
Kavem Hodge failed to add to his overnight 59, falling in the morning’s third over fending a snorter from fast bowler Chemar Holder to a diving Nkrumah Bonner at a wide gully.
Palmer, unbeaten at the start on 31, added only one before falling to a catch at the wicket of Reifer (2-71) one over earlier.
Cornwall then flexed his muscle, belting nine fours and three sixes in a dashing 51-ball knock as he put on 55 for the ninth wicket with Preston McSween whose 34 came from 31 balls and included five fours and a six.
Guyanese fast bowler Nial Smith picked two of the five wickets to fall to end with three for 91 while left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican did not add to his three for 72. In their second turn at the crease, Chase’s XI were dismissed for a paltry 113 with only Campbell showing any enterprise with a top score of 55, to follow up his first innings hundred.
The left-hander struck half-dozen fours and a six off 118 deliveries in a shade over 2-¾ hours but left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul with four for 21, and off-spinner Cornwall (2-23) and left-arm seamer McSween (2-25) with two wickets apiece, ripped apart the innings. Set an uncomplicated target, Brathwaite’s XI flourished behind a 54-run first wicket stand between Powell and Palmer before the rot set in and five wickets went down for 33 runs. Even after losing the pair to Reifer in the same over, Brathwaite’s XI seemed poised for an easy win at 70 for two before losing three wickets for one run in nine balls, with Shimron Hetmyer (0), Shamarh Brooks (15) and Hodge (1) falling in quick time.
Hetmyer failed for the second time in the game, bowled missing a pull at Blackwood and Brooks followed in the same over, smashing a stinging return catch to the bowler.
The match was part of West Indies’ preparation for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka starting later this month and also served as a trial for selectors to pick the Test squad.
