Staff Writer – Archi
West Indies cricket news. West Indies ‘A’ side recorded a thumping 162-run victory against India ‘A’ in the first unofficial Test match in the southern city of Mysore in India on Saturday. The win gave the visitors a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Needing 314 runs to win the match after West Indies declared at their overnight second innings score of 130 for three, India were bundled out for 152 by first innings chief wreckers Nikita Miller and Veerasammy Permaul at the Gangothri Glades Cricket Grounds.
The hosts were earlier dismissed for 245 in the first innings, giving West Indies a lead of 184 runs.
The Indian top-order failed miserably with Manpreet Juneja being an exception with his 193-ball 70 after a first-innings effort of 84.
Nikita Miller. Photo courtesy www.espncricinfo.com
In the second innings, India lost half the side with a mere 90 runs on the board.
West Indies made their predatory intentions instantly clear when they opened the bowling with left-arm spinner Nikta Miller. For a while, openers Lokesh Rahul (9) and Jiwanjot Singh (24) seemed comfortable but as the morning progressed it became clear that the match could go only one way.
The West Indies’ three-pronged spin attack was in business right through the day and picked up all the wickets.
Veerasammy Permaul. Photo courtesy http://www.stabroeknews.com
Miller was the pick of the bowlers. His five wickets included that of Juneja, who was last out, trapped in front while attempting to paddle sweep in an effort to retain strike.
Veerasammy Perumal (3 for 56) and Narsingh Deonarine (2 for 29) were the other successful bowlers and they must be pleased as punch that Indian pitches are tailor-made for their art.
Captain Cheteshwar Pujara (17) failed for the second time in the match, which proved quite crucial.
For West Indies, the match was set up by captain Kirk Edwards (91), Kraigg Braithwaite (90) and Assad Fadudin (86) with their brilliant half-centuries in the first innings, which helped the team amass 429 all out.
