Windies ‘A’ in danger of defeat

EAST LONDON, South Africa (CMC):

West Indies-A were staring at a herculean task on today’s final day of the second four-day ‘Test’ after South Africa-A dominated yesterday’s penultimate day at Buffalo Park.

Set a mammoth 442 for victory, the visitors suffered yet another top-order implosion, to end on 134 for five in their second innings – still requiring a further 307 for victory.

Opener Zachary McCaskie struck his second half-century of the game with exactly 50 while Kavem Hodge chipped in with 22 but the remainder of the batting crumbled meekly, with off-spinner Dane Piedt doing the damage yet again with three for 57, to follow up his first-innings five-wicket haul.

At the close, Tevin Imlach (16 not out) and fellow Guyanese Kevin Sinclair (15 not out) were propping up the innings.

Resuming the morning on 65 for one, South Africa ‘A’ flourished through Keegan Petersen who struck an up tempo unbeaten 112, before declaring their second innings on 297 for four.

He was supported by Raynard van Tonder, who lashed 56, Khaya Zondo, who got 49, and Tony de Zorzi, who made 37.

De Zorzi added only three to his overnight 34 but Petersen arrived to marshal the innings in a sequence of partnerships.

The 30-year-old right-hander faced 134 balls and struck 10 fours and five sixes, posting 64 for the third wicket with van Tonder, 101 for the fourth wicket with Zondo, before adding 57 in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand with Ruan de Swardt (29 not out).

Van Tonder hit five fours and a six in a 74-ball knock while Zondo faced 62 deliveries and struck seven fours.

West Indies ‘A’ then found themselves in early trouble in their run chase when they slumped to 27 for two just after tea.

Left-hander Tagenarine Chanderpaul perished without scoring in the second over, caught behind driving at a wide delivery from seamer de Swardt.

And Kirk McKenzie, unbeaten on 13 at tea with West Indies ‘A’ on 23 for one, fell to the fifth delivery after the break, bowled through the gate playing defensively to Piedt.

As they did in the first innings, McCaskie and Hodge then combined to prop up the innings, this time in a 59-run third-wicket stand.

McCaskie counted seven fours in a 90-ball knock while Hodge faced 50 balls and struck three fours.

Seamer Tshepo Moreki broke the stand when he bowled Hodge and McCaskie eventually followed, leg before wicket missing a pull at Piedt.

When captain Joshua Da Silva was stumped off Piedt for five, West Indies ‘A’ had lost three wickets for 32 runs to decline swiftly.