In a three-day practice match against Cricket Australia XI, West Indies’ bowlers put up an impressive performance, setting the stage for a strong showing by the team.
Led by seasoned pacers Kemar Roach and Alzarri Joseph, along with uncapped Shamar Joseph, the West Indies bowled out the CA XI for 174, securing a first-innings lead of 77.
The bowling trio delivered a brilliant display, with Roach finishing with figures of 2 for 23 from nine overs, Shamar Joseph bagging 2 for 28 from eight overs, and vice-captain Alzarri Joseph claiming 2 for 40 from 10 overs. Their efforts provided a significant advantage to the Caribbean side.
However, the West Indies’ top order struggled, raising concerns about their performance against Australia. Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kirk McKenzie, and Alick Athanaze all fell for low scores. Chanderpaul was dismissed for a duck, McKenzie for nine, and Athanaze for 16.
Standout performance
The standout performance came from makeshift opener Joshua Da Silva, who remained unbeaten on 55. Da Silva partnered with Kavem Hodge, who scored 44 not out, to build a crucial, unbroken partnership of 78 runs for the fourth wicket. Their efforts steadied the West Indies’ second innings, taking the team to a total of 137 for three at the close of the second day, with an overall lead of 214.
Da Silva, reflecting on his innings, expressed satisfaction with the opportunity to bat higher up the order. He mentioned that the decision to promote him to the top was beneficial, allowing him valuable time in the middle. Da Silva’s innings included seven boundaries, and he reached his fifty from 67 balls.
The practice match is crucial preparation for the West Indies ahead of their two-Test series against Australia, beginning on January 17 at the Adelaide Oval and then moving to the Gabba in Brisbane on January 25. The team aims to address concerns in the top order and build on their strong performance with the ball as they gear up for the challenging series against the world champions.
