Chanderpaul, Hodge give Windies A narrow day two lead

BENONI, South Africa (CMC):

HALF-CENTURIES FROM Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Kavem Hodge enabled West Indies A to earn a 27-run, first-innings lead against South Africa A in the first ‘Test’ yesterday.

Chanderpaul, son of former Guyana and West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, hit the top score of 78, and Hodge supported with 73 before the Caribbean side declared in the final hour on 314 for nine, replying to the South Africans’ first-innings total of 287 for nine declared, on the second day of the four-day contest at Willowmoore Park.

The visitors failed to make any early inroads in the South Africa A batting, and the home team reached three without loss in the three overs possible before stumps were drawn, with Neil Brand, their captain, not out on three, and Toni de Zorzi not out on nought.

Earlier, West Indies A resumed on 46 without loss, and Chanderpaul and Hodge shared 110 for the third wicket to be the rocks upon which the Caribbean side built their reply after opener Zachary McCaskie and left-hander Kirk McKenzie fell inside the first hour.

Chanderpaul batted for almost three and three-quarters of an hour, smashing 12 fours from 150 balls, while Hodge occupied the crease for almost three and a half hours, striking nine fours from 151 balls.

McCaskie made 31 before he played a loose drive and was caught in the covers off pacer Tshepo Moreki in the eighth over of the day, while McKenzie was caught behind for a fourth-ball duck off the same bowler, top-edging a half-hearted cut at a rising delivery.

The Caribbean side were 66 for two, and Hodge came to the crease and played a typically busy innings, carrying them to 129 for two at lunch, with Chanderpaul not out on 59, after he brought up his half-century from 92 balls with a ‘French cut’ for his eighth boundary off pacer Mihlali Mpongwana.

The pair carried on merrily after the interval, and Hodge reached his half-century when he cut a wide delivery from pacer Hardus Viljoen through square cover for his eighth four, also bringing up the hundred-run mark in the partnership with Chanderpaul.

Two wickets in the space of 35 balls in the final hour before tea – Chanderpaul lbw to Viljoen, and fellow Guyanese Tevin Imlach caught at gully off the same bowler – set the visitors back, and they reached 213 for four at the interval.

West Indies A chased brisk runs after tea to try to hasten the declaration, and they offered up a few cheap wickets, including Hodge, caught behind off Mpongwana, playing defensively forward in the second over of the final session.

The Caribbean side were 213 for five, but Akeem Jordan cracked 40, Kevin Sinclair made 39, and their captain, Joshua Da Silva, added 20, taking the Caribbean side into the lead and past 300 before the declaration came.