Reifer grabs five in Windies warm-up

MEDIUM pacer Raymon Reifer snatched five wickets in 11 deliveries to destroy the middle of the Jason Holder XI batting line up. The performance put the Kraigg Brathwaite XI in a commanding position at the end of day two in a three-day warm-up match in Manchester, England, on Wednesday.

West Indies are preparing for their three-match Test series against England starting on July 8. Responding to the Brathwaite XI first innings total of 275, the Holder XI were dismissed for 193. Sunil Ambris top-scored with 52 off 70 balls with eight fours, Kyle Mayers cracked a brisk 45 off 56 deliveries with seven fours and one six and Shayne Moseley pitched in with 40.

The Holder XI were on 95/2 before left-arm pacer Reifer took over the match. He first grabbed the wicket of Nkrumah Bonner for five, then in his next over snatched the wickets of Joshua Da Silva (duck) and captain Holder (duck) with consecutive deliveries to leave the Holder XI on 104/5. It soon became 111/7 when Moseley (40) and Rahkeem Cornwall (two) fell in the same over. Lower order resistance led by Mayers pushed the score to 193 all out. Reifer, who is one of the 11 reserves on the tour, ended with figures of 5/60 in 13 overs.

In the second innings the Brathwaite XI closed on 99/3, a lead of 181 runs. John Campbell scored 49 and Brathwaite contributed 34. Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph is the top bowler so far with 2/17.

The third and final day of the warm-up match will bowl off at 11 am on Thursday England time.

SUMMARISED SCORES

Brathwaite XI 275 (Kraigg Brathwaite 84, Shai Hope 83, Roston Chase 37; Alzarri Joseph 4/60, Shannon Gabriel 3/32) and 99/3 (John Campbell 49, K Brathwaite 34; A Joseph 2/17) vs Holder XI 193 (Sunil Ambris 52, Kyle Mayers 45, Shayne Moseley 40; Raymon Reifer 5/60, Marquino Mindley 3/27)