West Indies' batsmen kicked off their tour to India with promising signs, with four of their top six getting past the half-century mark
on day one of the warm-up match against Uttar Pradesh in Kolkata.
While Kieran Powell and Darren Bravo couldn't push on after getting set,
Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Narsingh Deonarine have the opportunity to register
confidence-boosting hundreds on day two : 8)
going to stumps unbeaten on 91 and 83 respectively.
Their 170-run stand for the fifth-wicket meant that the West Indians finished
with a comfortable 333 for 4 overnight.
The West Indians chose to bat, and were dealt an early blow by seamer Imtiaz Ahmed,
who bowled Chris Gayle for 18.
A century stand between Powell and Bravo followed, ensuring the innings didn't veer off track.
Both batsmen fell in the 60s, though :-[
Bravo going first, bowled by India discard RP Singh.
Powell was out in the following over, also bowled, to offspinner Arish Alam
Marlon Samuels fell not long after, edging behind to give Imtiaz his second success,
leaving the West Indians on an uncertain 163 for 4.
That's when The Great Man , who was in solid touch for English county Derbyshire
in the lead-up to this series - he hit half-centuries in each of his previous three matches -
and Guyana star Deonarine, who has been on the fringes of the Test side
but last played in it last August, came together. :-*
Their unbroken century stand came at a good clip - over 4.5 per over - 8)
before the last half hour was lost to bad light.
The West Indians will be hoping the weather cooperates better over the next two days,
as this is the only practice game scheduled before the first Test of the two-match series
begins on November 6.
