The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket

Blackwood fifty helps Windies A frustrate India

Sun, Jul 8, '18

 

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BECKENHAM, England (CMC) — Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood struck a typically breezy half-century to help West Indies 'A' battle to a draw against India 'A' on the final day of their four-day “Test” here yesterday.

Asked to chase an improbable 360 for victory after India A carried their second innings to a mammoth 609 for six declared, West Indies ended on 245 for seven at Kent County Ground.

The Caribbean side found themselves in early trouble at 28 for two, but Blackwood hammered a top score of 61 while opener John Campbell carved out 44 and Sunil Ambris, 42, to turn the innings around.

All-rounder Rahkeem Cornwall got his first meaningful score on tour with 40, while wicketkeeper Devon Smith chipped in with 22.

Seamer Navdeep Saini (2-41), left-arm slow Jayant Yadav (2-73) and off-spinner Shahbaz Nadeem (2-81) all ended with two wickets each.

Windies 'A' lost Chanderpaul Hemraj to the seventh delivery of the innings before a run had been scored— bowled by Saini — and when captain Shamarh Brooks also had his stumps rattled by Yadav for nine with the score on 28, the innings was tottering further.

But Blackwood came to his side's rescue, adding 49 for the third wicket with Campbell before putting on a further 66 for the fourth wicket with Ambris.