WI take narrow lead into final day of warm-up match vs Counties Select XI

West Indies will take a 23-run lead into the third and final day of their warm-up match against a First Class Counties Select XI at the Kent County Cricket Ground, Beckenhamon on July 5, after ending play on July 4 on 57 for two at the start of their second innings.

West Indies were bowled out for 339 on the first day, with Kavem Hodge top-scoring with 112, and the trio of Alick Athanaze (74), Kirk McKenzie (73) and rookie opening batsman Mikyle Louis (50) all getting half-centuries.

Resuming from their overnight score of 15 without loss, the Counties Select XI asserted their dominance with the bat on day two – getting to a formidable total of 373 for four before declaring their first innings with a 34-run lead.

West Indies scored at well over four runs per over on the first day, and the Counties Select XI followed suit on the second day's play – rattling off their total at a rate of 4.39 runs per over.

The hosts got a 56-run partnership from the pair of Harry Singh (34) and captain Ben McKinney (22), before the latter was dismissed by former West Indies captain Jason Holder (one for 45). Singh was next to go with the score on 77 when he was trapped lbw by 19-year-old Guyanese seamer Isai Thorne, who has joined the West Indies squad as a development player.

Tom Prest (53) and Hamza Shaikh (84) then stitched together a 79-run stand for the third wicket, with both men notching fifties. Prest was dismissed with the score on 156 when he gloved a short ball from Windies vice-captain Alzarri Joseph (one for 33) through to wicket-keeper Joshua Da Silva. Shaikh then shared in a 77-run partnership with Will Luxton, before he was dismissed by Windies first-innings centurion Hodge – falling 16 runs short of the landmark himself.

With the score on 233 for four at that stage, the hosts took the ascendancy in the contest to surpass the regional team's first-innings total on the back of an unbeaten 140-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Luxton and Harry Duke (46 not out). The right-handed Luxton was the aggressor in the partnership, and he blazed his way to 112 off just 130 balls – hitting 15 fours and three sixes in the process.

West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite used as many as ten bowlers in his team's 85-over stint in the field, including an eight-over spell for spinner Gudakesh Motie who only joined the group on Wednesday.

With West Indies' last Test match coming against Australia in late January, Joseph said the warm-up match has been productive thus far. "It was pretty good getting a run after not bowling the red ball for a couple of months," said Joseph, who finished as the team's leading wicket-taker in the 2024 International Cricket Council T20 World Cup with 13 wickets.

"I think these games are all about getting everyone prepared mentally and physically for these Test matches. All in all, I think everyone got what they needed out of this practice game (thus far)."

In their second turn at the crease, West Indies lost two quick wickets before the close of play, as the pair of Zachary McCaskie (two) and McKenzie (17) were sent back to the hut. Louis (28 not out) and Athanaze are the not out batsmen and they will hope to add significantly to their team's 23-run lead on the final day.

The Caribbean team will start their three-match Test series versus England at Lord's Cricket Ground, London on July 10.

Summarised Scores:

WEST INDIES: 339 (Kavem Hodge 112, Alick Athanaze 74, Kirk McKenzie 73, Mikyle Louis 50; Farhan Ahmed 4/48, John Turner 4/60) & 57/2 (M Louis 28 not out) vs FIRST CLASS COUNTIES SELECT XI: 373/4 declared (Will Luxton 112 not out, Hamza Shaikh 84, Tom Prest 53, Harry Duke 46 not out; K Hodge 1/20, Isai Thorne 1/28). West Indies lead by 23 runs.