Sharjah: West Indies gained good batting practice on the third day of the three-day match against Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Patron’s XI at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Left-handed Darren Bravo missed his century by nine runs. His 91 runs off 265 balls contained 12 boundaries and three sixes. West Indies, starting from their overnight score of 174 for two with Bravo on 73 and Shai Hope on 34, further swelled the score. By tea break, West Indies were 234 for four in their first innings in a match played mainly for players to get used to the pink ball which is to be used in the first day-night Test match in UAE commencing from October 13 at the Dubai International stadium.
Patron’s XI bowlers hoped to take some early West Indies wickets after they had posted 308 runs in the first innings. Ahmad Jamal ended the opening wicket partnership of 34 runs between Leon Johnson and Kraig Brathwaite by dismissing Johnson for 11.
Brathwaite and Darren Bravo put on 82 runs in 24.1 overs for the second wicket before Brathwaite fell at the score of 116 after hitting 55 runs off 131 balls with four boundaries. Hope joined Bravo and ended all hopes of some quick wickets with a confident show with the bat.
Bravo reached his half century in 107 balls. His footwork was brilliant as he started stepping out and hitting including an effortless straight six of Shahzaib Ahmad. His three boundaries in one over off Imran Khan were excellent. He was strong on the backfoot and his pulls against short pitched deliveries were a delight to watch.
Hope played the supporting role very well and the pair took the West Indies past the 200-run mark by the end of the 95th over. Patron’s XI skipper Fawad Alam used his bowlers effectively with leg spinner Shahzaib doing the bull of the bowling with right arm offbreak Iftikhar Ahmad too providing good support. However, none could break the partnership till the pair put on 93 runs in 57.3 overs. Shan Mashood had Bravo, who wanted to play a shot past point, edge to wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal for 91.
Hope reached his half century in 156 balls by pulling Ahmad Jamal to the square leg boundary. Just before tea break, West Indies lost their fourth wicket. Jermaine Blackwood who added 25 runs with Hope fell to slow left-arm bowler and captain Alam. Blackwood missed the flight of the ball and got bowled for 13.
Devendar Bishoo, who took five wickets for 107 runs felt that the pink ball is favourable to the bowlers. “The feedback I got from batsmen is that they were finding it difficult to pick. Pink ball does get discoloured but it’s not different from red or white ball,” he said.
