BANGALORE – Barbados’ captain Kirk Edwards made a case for a return to the senior side by hammering a century yesterday as West Indies “A” clinched the three-match cricket series 2-1 with a 45-run victory over India “A” here in the third unofficial One Day International.
Edwards, who last played for the West Indies in May 2012, increased his comeback chances with a top score of 104 to anchor the Caribbean side’s second consecutive victory following their opening loss.
A half-century from Leon Johnson as well powered the visitors to a formidable 312 for nine in 50 overs, while the Indians were restricted to 267 for eight in 50 overs after the collapse of a promising third-wicket century stand.
Edwards arrived at the crease after a powerful 74-run opening stand in just 13 overs between skipper Kieran Powell and Andre Fletcher.
Powell scored 40 from 33 balls, including four fours and a six, while Fletcher’s knock of 28 contained two fours and a six.
Edwards built his innings steadily taking singles before accelerating and reaching 50 with a massive six over long on that was headed perilously close to the Press box windows.
He hit 12 fours and three sixes and shared stands of 66 and 93 with Jonathan Carter and Johnson, respectively.
Johnson scored an aggressive knock of 54 in 42 balls that contained four fours and three sixes. Carter followed up his century in the second match with a well played 35.
West Indies lashed 100 runs off the last ten overs to shut out the hosts. Jaydev Unadcat was the pick of the Indian bowlers with five for 55.
The only effort that kept India in the hunt was the third-wicket stand of 112, off 117 balls, between Baba Aparajith and captain Yuvraj Singh.
Aparajith scored 78, hitting six fours and a six, while Singh smashed four fours and three sixes as he continued his run of form with 61 before he was bowled by off-spinner Ashley Nurse.
Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul grabbed three for 55, while pacer Miguel Cummins bowled impressively to take two for 46.
“It’s amazing to beat India in India,” Powell told WICB Media after the match. “We played well and we deserved to win. It was definitely a total team effort . . . .
Everyone played a part at some point in the game to get us over the line which was satisfying.”
“After the first game we got to observe the Indians and we strategized and came out and executed our plans brilliantly,” he added.
Powell was also full of praise for Edwards.
“He gave himself a chance to bat deep into the innings. He knew that if he did so, he would go on to get a century. He did it and the other guys batted around him to get us to a winning score.” (CMC/EZS)
