AUNTON – A fighting century from West Indies A captain Shamarh Brooks led a West Indies A fightback, but honours were left evenly shared at the end of the opening day of the second four-day “Test” against India yesterday.
Brooks led from the front, stroking an unbeaten 121 as the Windies closed on 301-9 after winning the toss and electing to bat at the Cooper Associates County Ground.
His knock was one of the few bright sparks, as no other Windies batsman made 50, and only two made more than 20.
Brooks was the mainstay of the innings, having batted for one-minute shy of five hours and faced 224 balls. He has so far struck 15 boundaries.
With the Windies struggling on 222-8 and in serious danger of being bowled out, the skipper and tailender Sherman Lewis added 70 valuable runs in a ninth-wicket partnership. It helped to carry the Windies to relative safety and frustrated the Indian bowlers in the process.
By the time Lewis was dismissed for 18, caught behind off the bowling of Mohammed Siraj, the score had grown to a respectable 292. Oshane Thomas (2), is the other unbeaten batsman.
Earlier, the West Indies had wasted a decent start from John Campbell and Devon Thomas, who added 49 in an opening partnership.
Once Devon Thomas lost his wicket for 27, it led to a mini-batting collapse with the Windies losing three wickets for 65 runs.
Campbell was bowled for 41 by Vijay Shankar, and soon after the wickets of Jermaine Blackwood (12) and Sunil Ambris who made a duck, soon followed to leave them on 114-4.
Vishual Singh didn’t last long either, making just eight, as Raymon Reifer (11), Romario Shepherd (5) and Jomel Warrican (5), followed in quick succession.
Brooks and Lewis, though, steadied the ship to see the Windies through to the end of the day.
Shahbaz Nadeem has been the pick of the Indian bowlers so far having taken 3-42, while Mohammed Siraj ended with 3-67. (CMC)
