Cricket Web Blue v West Indians
at PDV Dome
Scorecard
Ball By Ball
In the absence of Trav Demeza to Test duties, Lee Payne took over as strike bowler, without the extra added 100 runs. In his first appearance at the first class level, Payne returned the stunning figures of nine for 96 and established himself as a credible bowling alternative for the league champions. With hundreds flowing from the bats of Camps, Wilshere and Cribb, Blue inflicted another hefty defeat on the tourists.
With Lawson and Taylor rested, the tourists were always going to struggle, but Daren Powell enjoyed denying Mamesh a chance to return to form. After blazing 19, Collymore could cherish a catch at midwicket; it was to be the only breakthrough of a dreary morning for the West Indies. Denied by friendly home umpires the chance to see local legend Camps gone on 18, the air went out, and dropped catches and wide balls flourished. Camps and Wilshere punished the mediocre cricket in style, though there was not quite the cutting to pieces that has been seen in the Test matches. Nevertheless, by the time Collymore finally broke the stand shortly after tea they had added 204.
With Wilshere succumbing to Jaggernauth shortly afterwards, and the new ball due, the West Indians might have hoped for a collapse. Instead, it turned into a very long evening without much to cheer for. Cribb and de Silva hit sixes in successive overs before the new ball was taken, which didn't help much; in the first ten overs of efforts from Powell and Edwards the Blues added 43 without a chance, and the runs kept flowing. Gayle held another simple catch to remove de Silva, but Cribb closed the day on 46 and the total was 363 for four.
The second day was Cribb and non-scorers versus the spinners. Cribb held out unbeaten for 60 overs, milking singles while different partners came and went, and was instrumental after Edwards' brace which had the team reeling somewhat at 414 for six. Well helped by Collins and Payne after lunch, and Ganga's easy slip-up while on 101, he cut loose with swift, determined strokes and reached 150 before he was finally abandoned by partners after tea. The 317-ball knock nevertheless pained the West Indies, who stared a mammoth total of 551 in the face.
It had to go wrong. Though Gayle and Ganga fought off the opening spell, the ever reliable Adam Collins found the outside edge of Gyale in the first over, and the remainder of the order fell at desperately regular intervals. At 142 for two on the third morning and Morton and Chanderpaul in, the situation didn't look so awful; those two were both given out lbw in dubious circumstances, and suddenly the medium pace from the Blue bowlers seemed to move about everywhere. An inevitable crash came to an end shortly after lunch when Marlon Samuels, desperate for runs, hoiked to Ben Wilshere for 32.
The second innigns was depressingly similar to the first, though it was Payne who brought the first breakthrough and Morton and Chanderpaul who failed to carry on with their starts. Ganga once again held out well, then played a perfect forward defensive to Collins...only to see the ball take the bottom edge and squeeze onto leg stump. Devon Smith and Marlon Samuels put in applications for Test recognition, however, as they shared a stand of 99 in very testing late conditions. However, helped by a wearing wicket, inconsistent bounce, a newish ball and sheer lack of brain activity from the West Indian bowlers, Payne ended the innings in merciless fashion as he rapidly removed Ramdin, Jaggernauth, Collymore and Edwards. Samuels once again smashed the ball to a fielder, this time Mamesh, who held a fine catch at point, yet Samuels had at least made some runs and seemed to be on the way back into form - a vital application to defend the number five spot. The match, however, belonged to Payne and the Blue army.
Cricket Web Blue 551 all out (168.4 overs)
RGEWS Cribb 150*, LA Camps 108, BL Wilshere 104; A Jaggernauth 3-121, DBL Powell 3-128
West Indians 211 all out (70.1 overs)
RS Morton 50; R Dunn 3-42, LR Payne 3-53, R Williams 2-26, AAA Collins 2-40
West Indians 267 all out (following on, 92.4 overs)
MN Samuels 78, DS Smith 55; LR Payne 6-43
Cricket Web Blue won by an innings and 73 runs
Man of the Match: L. R. Payne (Cricket Web Blue)