West Indies take control

West Indies A 50 for 0 (Simmons 28*, Chattergoon 18*) trail England A 201 by 151 runs
Scorecard

Consistent bowling, encouraging batting and astute captaincy by Sylvester Joseph placed West Indies A in a dominant position on day one of their second unofficial Test against England A at the Beausejour Ground on Friday.

England were dismissed for 201 and, by the close, the hosts had replied positively with 50 without loss thanks to the efforts of openers Lendl Simmons, who reached 28, and Sewnarine Chattergoon, who had made 18.

Joseph won the toss and asked England to bat first on a well-grassed pitch: it proved a good decision as, at lunch, the tourists were in some bother at 69 for 3.

They lost the opener Ed Joyce, who was smartly caught by wicketkeeper Patrick Browne off Richard Kelly for 7 with the score on 20. His opening partner Michael Yardy soon followed to a catch at slip by Joseph off the fast bowler Andrew Richardson for 9, leaving the tourists on 33 for 2.

Captain Vikram Solanki (16) was the third victim as he holed out to Gavin Tonge square on the on side, off the left-arm spinner Ryan Hinds, just one ball before the scheduled lunch break.

On resumption, Jamie Dalrymple joined Alex Loudon, who was then on 22. But Dalrymple departed before he could settle, caught smartly by Chattergoon at square leg for 22 as he attempted a pull shot off the medium-pacer Kelly.

Rikki Clarke perished soon afterwards as he offered a simple return catch to Kelly, leaving England on 120 for 5. Loudon was next to fall, edging a lifting ball to Browne off Richardson for 48.

Chris Read led England to 166 for 6 at tea but he fell immediately after the interval, edging Hinds to be caught at the wicket for 33 and giving Browne his third catch.

The last three wickets then fell with the score on 201 as Alex Wharf was caught by Browne off Tonge for 21, Gareth Batty was trapped by the left-arm spinner Dave Mohammed for 14, while Sajid Mahmood fell to the next delivery, lbw to Mohammed.

Kelly finished with 3 for 34, while Richardson picked up 2 for 32. Hinds, with 2 for 37, and Mohammed, 2 for 38, gave valuable support.

The West Indies got off to an enterprising start with Chattergoon striking the first delivery off Wharf to the backward square leg boundary and Simmons likewise dispatched his first delivery, from Mahmood, for four.

Both batsmen have so far struck three boundaries in their innings as the West Indies pressed home the advantage. Simmons had a slice of luck, however, dropped by Clarke at first slip off Mahmood, when he had reached 19.