Warwickshire succumb to West Indies A

Test pacer Darren Powell picked up three wickets as West Indies A recorded a comprehensive victory in their tour match with Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

The Jamaican quick returned figures of 3/55, with Tino Best collecting 2/40 and Ryan Hinds 2/47 in a professional performance. Mark Wagh's accomplished 86 was the highlight of a disappointing Warwickshire effort.

Despite Wagh's knock, and cavalier efforts from Dominic Ostler and Dougie Brown, Warwickshire were never realistically in the victory hunt. They eventually succumbed at 6pm, losing by 120 runs. James Spires and Alexander Allen battled hard at the death, before Hinds trapped Spires leg before just as time was running out.

Set 371 to record an unlikely victory, Warwickshire lost wickets steadily throughout the day. First to go was skipper Michael Powell, trapped leg-before to an in-ducker from his West Indian namesake. Jim Troughton, a young batsman whose free-flowing game has attracted much attention, hit a couple of pleasing boundaries before he snicked Powell through to keeper Lendl Simmons.

Dominic Ostler, clearly thinking the win was a possibility, however remote, set about the bowling with ferocity. He blasted seven fours in 22 balls, Marlon Black proving particularly expensive. On 31, going for one big shot too many, Ostler played around a straight one from Best.

Dougie Brown, who hit an expansive 65 in the first innings, batted with similar vigour in the second. With the elegant support of Wagh, Brown saw the innings through to lunch. He hit four boundaries in his 35, only to be grabbed close in by Daren Ganga to give Ryan Hinds a wicket.

Graham Wagg had his stumps uprooted by Powell soon after, while Mohamed Sheikh latched onto some loose deliveries to make 16. Best accounted for the all-rounder though, hitting the stumps for a second time.

Wagh, having survived hostile spells from Best and Powell, fell victim to Gareth Breese's off-spin. Wagh, who captained Oxford University in 1997, showed his class throughout his four-hour knock. Shortly after he struck his 14th crisp boundary, he was adjudged lbw to Breese.

Nick Warren and Alan Richardson went early, leaving too much for the plucky last wicket pair of Allen and Spires.

Earlier, West Indies A had looked for quick runs. Breese, along with Dwayne Bravo, did not disappoint, extending their partnership to 65 before Ganga called his men in. Breese remained unbeaten on 54 (eight fours, one six) while Bravo's run-a-ball 37 included five boundaries.