WI bowlers endure hard toil against FCC Select XI

BECKENHAM, England (CMC):

West Indies endured a shaky start to their second innings after they got a foretaste of what to expect in their three-Test series against hosts England when former Under-19 international William Luxton led strong batting from the First-Class Counties Select XI with an enterprising, unbeaten hundred in their tour match yesterday.

The Caribbean side were 57 for two in their second innings at the close on the second day of the three-day match at the Kent County Cricket Ground with Mikyle Louis, opening the batting, not out on 28 and left-hander Alick Athanaze not out on nought.

The visitors lost opener Zachary McCaskie, caught at point off pacer John Turner for two in the third over, playing a square drive, and left-hander Kirk McKenzie entertained briefly with four boundaries in 17 in a second-wicket stand of 37 with Louis before off-spinner Bertie Foreman got him caught at long-on mistiming a lofted drive.

This followed the bowlers on the Caribbean side having limited success against the opposition batting, and Luxton, batting at five, hit 112 not out to anchor the Select XI to 373 for four declared to gain a first-innings lead of 34.

With the delayed arrival from Guyana of fast bowler Shamar Joseph, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite used 10 bowlers, including left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, whose departure from Georgetown had also been delayed because of Hurricane Beryl, and development player Isai Thorne.

None of the bowlers used really distinguished themselves, but Thorne, world-rated all-rounder Jason Holder, vice-captain and main strike bowler Alzarri Joseph, and part-time left-arm spinner Kavem Hodge each collected a wicket.

The Caribbean side met resistance when Hamza Shaikh scored 84, Tom Prest got 53, Harry Duke was not out on 46, Harry Singh made 34, and Ben McKinney added 22 - but Alzarri Joseph said there was value from spending such time in the field.

He said it was good to be back bowling with a red ball again after a surfeit of white ball matches over the past few months, including being part of the failed attempt of the visitors to try to win their third ICC Men's Twenty20 World Cup last month on home soil in the Caribbean and the United States.

"It was pretty good getting a run out after not bowling a red ball for the past couple of months, so I think I got what I needed out of it - a few overs under my belt and spending some time out in the field," he said in an interview with CWI Media.

"These games are always about getting yourself prepared mentally and physically for the matches ahead. So, all in all, I think everyone got what they needed out of this game ... . Our last Test series [against Australia this past January] was pretty good, so we are looking forward to building on that."