Newcomer Jordan has good day against SA Invitational XI

BENONI, South Africa (CMC):

WEST INDIES were kept on their toes before pace bowling newcomer Akeem Jordan and off-spin bowling compatriot Roston Chase enabled them to bowl out the South Africa Invitational XI in their tour match on Wednesday.

Jordan, 26, ended with 3-34 from 11.5 overs, Chase grabbed 3-98 from 19 overs, and fast bowler Shannon Gabriel took 2-45 from 10 overs to dismiss the Invitational XI for 317 shortly after the scheduled close on the second day of the three-day match at Willowmoore Park for a lead of 34.

After the Caribbean side declared overnight on 283 for nine in their first innings to give their bowlers a full run-out, Invitational XI captain Wiaan Lubbe hit the top score of 72 and teenage prospect Dewald Brevis supported with an even 50 to lead solid batting down the order for the hosts.

The West Indies bowlers, however, made timely interventions throughout the Invitational XI’s innings even as Ruan de Swardt made 37, Daniel Smith got 33, Corbin Bosch was not out on 31, Evan Jones scored 27, and Bryce Parsons and Jiveshan Pillay added 25 apiece.

After a fruitless toil during the first hour, Gabriel made the breakthrough for West Indies when he acrobatically held a return catch to dismiss left-hander Parsons from a miscued pull at a short delivery in the second over after the morning’s refreshment break.

But the Caribbean side had no further success before lunch and the Invitational XI reached 95 for one at the interval.

In the fifth over after lunch, a short delivery from Jordan was dispatched by Lubbe to the mid-wicket boundary for four to carry the left-handed opener to his 50 from 88 balls.

Next over, left-arm pacer Raymon Reifer got Smith caught at backward point for 33, slicing a loose drive at a delivery that bounced a bit awkwardly on the left-hander before the Invitational XI went on to reach 139 for two at the afternoon refreshments break.

Gabriel struck again in the third over after the break when Lubbe was caught behind, edging a back-foot drive at a delivery angled across his body. He struck nine fours and one six from 131 balls and became the first of five batsmen dismissed in the innings to catches to West Indies wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva.

The final over before tea, from Chase, proved eventful when Brevis swept the first delivery to deep backward square leg for a single to reach his 50 before he tried to clear long-off with the final ball and was caught a few yards inside the boundary without adding to his score. He hit eight fours and one six from 63 balls, and the Invitational XI were 189 for four at tea.

After the break, West Indies met a brief period of resistance before they claimed two wickets in six balls to take a firm grip on the match before they allowed things to slip in the final hour and a half.

Jordan added the scalp of Wandile Makewetu caught behind for 12, sparring at a delivery outside the off-stump, and Chase got Pillay caught behind from a top-edged sweep in the next over, and the Invitational XI sank to 218 for six.

But an attempt from West Indies to get a second crack at batting on the day was frustrated when de Swardt anchored a 40-run, seventh-wicket stand with Jones and a 57-run, eighth-wicket stand with Bosch.

Chase had Jones caught at mid-wicket from a mistimed pull, and de Swardt was caught behind chasing a wide delivery off the uncomplicated off-spin of West Indies vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood in the final hour.

Jordan returned and mopped up the last two wickets when he got Codi Yusuf caught behind for a duck, and Thandi Ntini, son of former South Africa fast bowler Makhaya Ntini, bowled for a duck, too.

The match is the only outing for West Indies before the first of two Tests against hosts South Africa, starting next Tuesday at SuperSport Park in Centurion.