Young bats hold on
South Africa `A' 282-9 declared and 228-8 declared
Philip Hackett
26-Aug-2000
South Africa `A' 282-9 declared and 228-8 declared. Barbados 287
and 140-6.
First-Class debutants Kurt Wilkinson and Corey Glasgow engineered a
middle-order recovery which helped Barbados earn a creditable draw
against South Africa `A' as the historic match ended at the Windward
Club, Lucas Street, St. Philip, yesterday.
Wilkinson scored an unbeaten 48 and Glasgow a solid 31. The pair came
together in the 18th of the 42 overs which Barbados had available to
score 224 for victory after South Africa declared.
Any possibility of an unlikely Barbados run-hunt totally disappeared
in the first over when captain Philo Wallace was bowled by left-arm
pacer Charl Willough by without a run on the board.
Despite the setback for Barbados, hardly anyone could have predicted
the early drama in the final session after Barbados went to tea at 22
for one, with Shirley Clarke and Rondell Yearwood together.
Immediately on resumption, Clarke drove at Mfuneko Ngam's first
delivery and keeper Marc Bruyns pouched the catch.
Ryan Hinds, who scored a discipline half-century in the first innings,
swung at his first ball, an apparently harmless delivery outside leg
stump only to see the alert and athletic Bruyns diving to his right to
haul in another catch.
All of a sudden a game which seemed destined for a tame draw sprung to
life as Barbados declined to 22 for three with Dale Richards, who
batted impressively in the first innings, unable to bat because of an
injured hand.
Wilkinson opened his first-class account following his first innings
duck with a confident cut to the backward point boundary and then
doubled his score with an exquisite cover drive, both off the
rampaging Ngam.
At the other end, Yearwood snicked another catch to Bruyns to leave
Barbados 34 for four.
Dale Mason added 33 for the fifth wicket with Wilkinson, but with just
over 24 overs remaining he appeared to take his eyes off an attempted
hook, which landed in the hands of Ngam at square-leg off Charl
Langeveldt at 60 for five.
Glasgow played fluently and with Wilkinson put together a valuable 60
for the sixth wicket.
