Shamarh Brooks, spinners put WI on top in first Test

By AFP

November 29, 2019

LUCKNOW, India: A maiden Test century by Shamarh Brooks and wily spin bowling put the West Indies in firm command of their one-off Test against Afghanistan on Thursday.

Brooks made 111 as West Indies managed a lead of 90 after they were 277 all out in the second session of day two in the northern Indian city of Lucknow, which has been hit by heavy air pollution over the past month.

Spinners Rakheem Cornwall and Roston Chase then took three wickets each to leave Afghanistan tottering at 109 for seven at stumps on day two. The Afghans lead by just 19 runs in their second innings.

Opener Javed Ahmadi made 62 before falling to Chase’s off spin on the final delivery of the day dominated by West Indies, who resumed on 68 for two in response to Afghanistan’s 187.

Afghanistan slipped from none for 53 to stare down the barrel, losing seven wickets for 56 runs in a dramatic collapse.

Cornwall rattled the Afghanistan top-order and improved his match haul to 10 so far. Cornwall, who returned figures of 7-75 with his off spin on day one, struck in three successive overs.

He trapped Ibrahim Zadran for 23 after a brisk start by the Afghan openers and then got Rahmat Shah and Asghar Afghan back in the pavilion for scores of zero. Chase also took three wickets in his three overs.

Brooks, who started the day on his overnight score of 19, piled on the runs without getting much support from his fellow batsmen. He was bowled by spinner Amir Hamza who took five wickets.

West Indies won toss

Afghanistan 1st Innings 187 (J Ahmadi 39; R Cornwall 7-75)

West Indies 1st Innings (overnight 68-2)

K Brathwaite lbw b Amir 11

J Campbell c Ihsanullah b Amir 55

S Hope c Ihsanullah b Rashid 7

S Brooks b Amir 111

S Hetmyer lbw b Rashid 13

R Chase c Ibrahim b Zahir 2

†S Dowrich lbw b Zahir 42

*J Holder st Afsar b Amir 11

R Cornwall lbw b Rashid 5