The West Indies team is currently touring South Africa to play a three-day practice match against the South Africa Invitational XI. Jason Holder and Joshua da Silva scored purposeful half-centuries as West Indies made a tame start to their tour of South Africa yesterday.
All-rounder Jason Holder and wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva scored half-centuries on Tuesday to lead West Indies’ batting effort on the first day of the three-day warm-up match against South Africa’s visiting XI in Benoni.
After the Invitation XI won the toss and elected to bowl first, West Indies were 283-9 in 89 overs by the end of the day. De Silva scored an unbeaten 54 off 129 balls (6×4 6s 4) and his partner Shannon Gabriel had two.
A handful of other batsmen got off to a steady start but none of the West Indian batters posed a significant threat, sending them into bat to finish at 124 for 5.
De Silva and Holder put on a 98-run partnership for the 6th wicket, which saw the West Indies bowled out at the allotted time. Holder scored 57 runs off 62 balls (9×4, 1×6).
All-rounder Roston Chase, batting at number nine, was dismissed for 32, while Raymon Reifer, batting at number 3, scored 30 off 109 balls.
Other batsmen dismissed were Kraigg Brathwaite (23), Tagenarine Chanderpaul (1), Devon Thomas (21), Jermaine Blackwood (18), Kyle Meyers (17), and Alzzari Joseph (0).
Holder, who hit nine fours and one six off 64 balls, gave a return catch to left-arm spinner Bryce Parsons in the first hour after tea.
With a dozen fours in 129 balls, Da Silva dominated the bottom half of the batting and shared a valuable 47 runs with Chase to take the Caribbean team past 250 before three wickets fell for two in 12 balls to undermine their work.
In back-to-back overs, Chase was lbw to pacer Irwin Modimokone, who was also caught by Reefer while driving loosely at a cross as the left-hander returned to bat after falling ill earlier in the day.
Fast bowler Corbin Bosh, son of the late South African fast bowler Tertius Bosh, added a catch to the head of Alsari Joseph, who was caught at the wrong end of the fourth ball.
Earlier, Tagenarin Chandrapaul, son of Shivnarin Chandrapaul, the West Indian batsman who has recently emerged as the mainstay of Caribbean batting, was dismissed by Thando Ntini, son of Makaya Ntini.
The event was nostalgic for the fans as both Chandrapaul and Ntini were famous in cricket during the 90s and 2000s. Now with time. Their sons play against each other.
Wonderful pressure applied by Thando Ntini who picks up Tagenarine Chanderpaul after racking up some dot balls
He has been getting some nice shape away from the lefties and inswing to Braithwaite this morning#SAXIvWI pic.twitter.com/OYksHFjRk8
— Werner (@Werries_) February 21, 2023
Left-arm spinner Smangaliso played defensively to Nhlebela’s last over before lunch, with Brathwaite playing practically the rest of the morning session with Reifer.
After lunch, Reifer was forging a solid third wicket stand with Thomas when he was forced to retire ill.
Thomas fell a few overs later when he drove loosely at an arm ball from Nhlebela and was bowled, and Jermaine Blackwood stayed long enough to carry West Indies past 100 with left-hander Kyle Mayers before he was bowled for nine, playing across a well-pitched delivery that moved back.
Corbin Bosch (2-17), Irvin Modimokoane (2-39), and Smangaliso Nhlebela (2-71) were the main wicket takers for the South African Invitational XI.
West Indies are all set to face South Africa in a two-match Test series starting on February 28 at Centurion and March 8 at Johannesburg. After that, three ODIs and three Twenty20 matches are scheduled to be held in March.
West Indies (Batting XI, Fielding XI): Kraigg Brathwaite(c), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Raymon Reifer, Jermaine Blackwood, Kyle Mayers, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva(w), Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Shannon Gabriel, Devon Thomas, Kemar Roach, Akeem Jordan
South African Invitation XI (Batting XI, Fielding XI): Wihan Lubbe(c), Daniel Smith, Bryce Parsons, Dewald Brevis, Wandile Makwetu(w), Ruan de Swardt, Evan Jones, Corbin Bosch, Codi Yusuf, Thando Ntini, Smangaliso Nhlebela, Hlompo Modimokwane