Goff leads from front and Webheads cruise
Cricket Web XI vs West Indies
1st ODI
Captain Brendon Goff compiled a tame 93 not out to lead the Cricket Web XI to a comfortable 7-wicket victory and a 1-0 series lead over the West Indies. Goff added 117 with Chris Butler for the second wicket, and the Webheads recovered from an early setback at 16/2 to reach a modest target of 211 with 26 balls to spare.
The early focus lay squarely on the Cricket Web debutants, and Dinu DeSilva, Nath Patrick and Tom Halsey received their first international caps. Two overs into the game and there was further cause for celebration. Xavier Rose, returning to the ODI team and the country of his birth, dismissed Chris Gayle for 1 to mark an early setback for the home side.
Marlon Samuels and Runako Morton recovered slowly against some sharp new ball bowling from Hoy and Rose, but when Patrick entered the attack, the gameplan changed. Unwilling to let the youngster settle into a rhythm, the West Indians ravaged him for 33 runs in his first 4 overs.
Samuels was caught-and-bowled by Halsey attempting to further press the momentum, then Sarwan was caught at midoff 9 balls later. Halsey went on to keep the West Indians in a tangle with a delightful spell, bowling Chanderpaul through the gate to wrap up a 3-wicket debut haul. Hoy returned and dismissed top-scorer Morton for a very good 96, then he and Rose frustrated the home crowd in allowing just 8 runs from the final 3 overs of the innings.
The total of 210 hardly looked likely to be enough before the Cricket Web innings, but after Edwards trapped Markus in front with a sharp yorker and Camps was caught in the gully off Bradshaw, there seemed to be some spirit left in the game. Unfortunately that spirit did not bear as much brilliance as it did for the West Indies during the Test series, and Chris Butler calmly grafted a half-century to stabilize the innings with his captain.
David Kearsley replaced Butler when he was caught at deep midwicket, but he batted just as assuredly and finished unbeaten on his highest ODI score of 30.
West Indies 210/7 (50 overs)
Cricket Web XI 214/3 (45.4 overs)
Cricket Web XI won by 7 wickets.
Man of the Match: TC Halsey