Da Silva completes hundred as match drawn

CMC – Joshua Da Silva completed a hundred, but Kavem Hodge missed out, and West Indies got pretty much all they wanted from their three-day practice match against the Cricket Australia XI, which ended in a draw on Friday.

Da Silva got a timely boost of confidence with his 105, and Hodge made a strong case for his maiden Test cap with his second half-century of the match of 99, and West Indies declared their second innings on 315 for five on the final day of the match at Karen Rolton Oval.

Da Silva maximised his move to open the batting, striking 15 fours from 158 balls, and Hodge chose occupation of the crease over instant gratification, gathering 13 fours from 174 balls, and the pair shared 163 for the fourth wicket.

Off-spinner Kevin Sinclair also made a case for his maiden Test cap, taking three for 38 from 12 overs before the two teams agreed to end the match half-hour before the scheduled close with the CA XI on 149 for five in their second innings.

The practice match is the only contest West Indies will play before they meet hosts and World champions Australia in a two-Test series, starting this coming Wednesday at the Adelaide Oval before moving to the Gabba in Brisbane on January 25.

“We as a team are very pleased,” West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite said after play. “The facilities here were outstanding, and the boys made good use of them. Having time to practice here in Adelaide and get accustomed to the pitches, that was great for us.”

Brathwaite added the Caribbean side were “quite clear” on the final 11 they will take into the first Test after several players impressed in the match, and there was a lot of learning that took place among those on their first trip to Australia.

“There are times that you play in a Test match that you can speak about as a batsman,” Brathwaite said when asked what advice he and his experienced teammates can pass on to the fresh faces yet to experience the international stage. “Different spells you’ve faced, how the pitches play.

“There’s a lot of information shared, and Kemar Roach leading the young bowling attack with that experience is similar – how the Kookaburra ball reacts off these types of pitches, the lengths especially with the new ball. All good information shared, and it’s time next week to make West Indians proud.”

Starting the day on 137 for three with Da Silva on 55 and Hodge on 44, the pair carried West Indies to 241 for four at lunch for overall lead of 318.

Da Silva went into over-drive, playing freely on either side of the wicket, and he helped himself to four boundaries in a solitary over from teenage left-arm pacer Campbell Thompson, who had been subbed in to bolster the CA XI’s bowling stocks in sweltering heat reaching 37 degrees Celsius.

The Trinidadian wicketkeeper-batsman reached his hundred from 156 balls with an elegant straight drive for his 14th boundary back past left-arm pacer Liam Haskett, and he celebrated with another boundary swung to wide long-on off the next ball from Haskett.

Da Silva was caught at mid-wicket off the next delivery from Haskett, chipping a low catch to the fielder.

His dismissal paved the way for Hodge to take over, driving Haskett for a couple of sweetly timed boundaries before pulling him through square leg to move into the 90s to reach 93 not out at the interval.

After lunch, he completed a fifth wicket stand of exactly 50 with Justin Greaves, and he was looking to reach his hundred when he was bowled trying to turn a delivery into the leg-side from left-arm spinner Doug Warren that pitched well outside leg-stump.

From there, Greaves, not out on 41, and compatriot Zachary McCaskie indulged themselves in a breezy, unbroken stand of 43 before the declaration came.

After tidy opening spells from the pacers, Sinclair got an extended spell and responded with the wickets of the opening pair of Tim Ward for the top score of 39 and Jayden Goodwin for 33 after they put on 76 for the first wicket.

Sinclair added the scalp of Teague Wyllie for four with all three of his wickets taken with close to the wicket catches to ease worries about the fielding – but the CA XI held firm for 39 overs to ensure the inevitable draw.

Scoreboard

WEST INDIES 1st Innings 251-8 dec
CRICKET AUSTRALIA XI 1st Innings 174
WEST INDIES 2nd Innings
(overnight 137-3)
T Chanderpaul c Ward b Haskett 0
J Da Silva c Clayton b Haskett 105
K McKenzie c Wyllie b Haskett 9
A Athanaze c Hope b Scott 15
K Hodge b Warren 99
J Greaves not out 41
Z McCaskie not out 25
Extras (b4, lb13, w2, nb2) 21
TOTAL (5 wkts dec, 80 overs) 315
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-16, 3-59, 4-222, 5-272.
Bowling: Haskett 11-1-65-3, Conway 11-1-36-0, Nisbet 10-2-35-0, Scott 11-2-15-1, Warren 23-2-62-1, Hope 1-0-9-0, Ward 5-0-31-0, Thompson 5-0-31-0, Goodwin 3-0-14-0.

CRICKET AUSTRALIA XI 2nd Innings
T Ward c Chanderpaul b Sinclair 39
J Goodwin c Athanaze b Sinclair 33
T Wyllie c McCaskie b Sinclair 4
J Clayton c Greaves b Motie 32
B Hope c McCaskie b Greaves 16
J Doran not out 19
Extras (b1, lb2, nb3) 6
TOTAL (5 wkts, 39 overs) 149
Fall of wickets: 1-76, 2-81, 3-82, 4-101, 5-149.
Bowling: Roach 4-0-16-0, S. Joseph 4-0-13-0, Motie 9-1-34-1, Jordan 4-1-21-0, Sinclair 12-4-38-3, Greaves 5-2-14-1, Hodge 1-0-10-0.
Result: Match drawn.
Players: 15 (11 batting, 11 fielding)
Umpires: Michael Graham-Smith, Ben Treloar.