West Indies A in trouble in 1st 'Test'

WEST INDIES A were in trouble after the penultimate day of the first unofficial 'Test' against hosts New Zealand A at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, on Friday.

The tourists closed day three of the four-day 'Test' on 57 runs for the loss of three wickets, requiring a further 195 runs to avoid an innings defeat.

Nicholas Pooran was unbeaten on 25 and fellow left-hander Kyle Mayers on three.

Opener Shayne Moseley (five) fell early to pacer Jacob Duffy while fast bowler Scott Kuggelijin, who played for runners-up St Lucia Zouks in the 2020 Caribbean Premier League (CPL), accounted for the other opening batsman Brandon King (22) and captain Rovman Powell (duck).

New Zealand A, who began play on 321/3, steadily piled on the agony on the Windies A bowlers as they marched on to 574, with Dylan Cleaver hitting 85 and Nathan Smith 76. Cleaver and Smith teamed up for a seventh-wicket partnership of 106.

Spinners Hayden Walsh and Fabian Allen did the trick for the visitors; Walsh took three wickets for 108 runs with his leg-breaks while Allen got 3/146 with his left-arm variations.

Scores: WEST INDIES A 322 (Romario Shepherd 133, Raymon Reifer 65, Nicholas Pooran 46, Rovman Powell 27; Jacob Duffy 4-47, Nathan Smith 3-37) and 57-3 (Nicholas Pooran 25 not out, Brandon King 22; Scott Kuggelejin 2-2) vs NEW ZEALAND A 574 (Glenn Phillips 136, Tim Seifert 111, Dylan Cleaver 85, Nathan Smith 76, Mark Chapman 45, Joe Carter 35, Doug Bracewell 29; Hayden Walsh Jr 3-108, Fabian Allen 3-146).