Bravo warms up for New Zealand with ton

CAVE HILL, Barbados, CMC – Left-hander Darren Bravo warmed up nicely for the first Test against New Zealand with a hundred on the opening day of a three-day practice match against a Barbados Select XI here yesterday.

The 25-year-old hit 124 as West Indies were dismissed for 272 at the 3Ws Oval, UWI Cave Hill Campus.

At the close, the Barbados Select XI were 26 for two, with one wicket apiece for fast bowlers Jerome Taylor and Kemar Roach.

West Indies lost Kieran Powell cheaply for five with the score on ten but Bravo and Kirk Edwards, who stroked an even 50, came together to repair the damage.

Bravo faced 215 balls for his century while the right-handed Edwards spent 114 deliveries over his innings, as they added 134 for the second wicket.

When Edwards fell, Bravo put on another 35 for the third wicket with Marlon Samuels who scored just nine before becoming the first of left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican’s five wickets.

Veteran left-hander Shiv Chanderpaul managed a rare first-ball duck while newly appointed West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin got just 12.

The practice game is one of two scheduled for West Indies during their preparation camp which got underway last Friday.

West Indies face New Zealand in a three-Test series starting at Sabina Park in Jamaica on June 8