HARARE, Zimbabwe, CMC – West Indies readied themselves for their ICC World Cup Qualifying campaign with a convincing 91-run victory over minnows Scotland in their first official warm-up here yesterday.
Captain Shai Hope (57) and all-rounder Romario Shepherd (53) struck contrasting half-centuries as West Indies recovered from 45 for four in the 12th over to reach 264 all out in the penultimate over at the Harare Sports Club.
Leg-spinner Yannic Cariah (4-46) and off-spinner Roston Chase (3-43) then wrecked the Scots’ run chase, the innings collapsing to 173 all out in the 34th over.
Brandon McMullen top-scored with 38 from 54 balls with seven fours while opener Matthew Cross struck a fluent 35 from 37 balls with half-dozen fours and a six, but the resistance ended once Cariah and Chase got stuck in.
West Indies will now face United Arab Emirates in their final warm-up match tomorrow before clashing with United States in their opening qualifier on Sunday.
Sent in, West Indies had their top order wiped out by outstanding new-ball seamer Chris Sole (4-50), the right-armer accounting for Kyle Mayers (2), Shamarh Brooks (1) and Johnson Charles (13) with only 28 runs on the board.
When 20-year-old pacer Jack Jarvis (3-25) claimed Rovman Powell to a catch at the wicket, West Indies were tottering further but Hope came to his side’s rescue, punching half-dozen fours off 65 balls in a 77-run, fifth-wicket stand with Keacy Carty who made 32 from 47 balls.
Both perished in the space of 17 balls with only six runs added and all-rounder Jason Holder made 18 before departing in the 36th over, leaving the Caribbean side stalled at 154 for seven.
However, Shepherd flexed his muscle, lashing five fours and three sixes in a 34-ball cameo, helping to post 73 for the eighth wicket with Chase (30) as West Indies rebounded late on.
In reply, Scotland lost Christopher McBride for six in the third over with eight runs on the board but McMullen and Cross repaired the damage in a 46-run, second wicket partnership. The stand proved to be the best of the innings, however, as wickets fell steadily thereafter, leaving Scotland in a hole at 113 for eight in the 27th over.
Sole, in at number nine, belted a 17-ball 25, while Alasdair Evans struck 24 from 22 deliveries at number 10, but the game was already long gone.
