Holders 99 avoids West Indies scare
Fri, Mar 9, '18
HARARE—Skipper Jason Holder agonisingly missed out on a maiden one-day hundred but helped to spare West Indies blushes, as they turned back a plucky Papua New Guinea by six wickets, to post their second win of the ICC World Cup Qualifiers yesterday.
Chasing an uncomplicated 201 for victory, the Caribbean side slumped to 58 for four in the 12th over before the right-handed Holder arrived to stroke a classy career-best unbeaten 99, and take his side over the line off 43 overs.
Importantly, he added 143 in an unbroken fifth wicket stand with the stylish Shai Hope who ended unbeaten on 49.
All told, Holder faced 101 deliveries and crunched nine fours and four sixes while Hope counted three fours in a 115-ball innings.
Medium pacer Carlos Brathwaite had earlier secured his first fivewicket haul in ODIs with five for 27, to restrict Papua New Guinea to 200 all out off 42.4 overs at Old Hararians.
