West Indies v New Zealand 'A', Day 3 of 4

Starting the 3rd day at 50-0, the West Indies, generally, made excellent use of the good batting conditions to give their early order batsmen some very much needed batting practice in their last first class innings before the 2nd Test, despite the less than impressive showing by Brian Lara and Jimmy Adams. At the close of Day 3, the West Indies are 381-7, made from 113 overs, with Mahendra Nagamootoo on 07 not out, while Wayne Phillip is yet to score. They now have an overall lead of 420 with three second innings wickets in hand.

Chris Gayle, who opened with Griffith, was the first to go, with the score on 132, for a well made 65, made in 175 minutes from 143 balls, and including nine fours and one six. Gayle had only one chance, when he was on 48, when he was dropped by Bruce Martin at long-on, an easy catch, from Chris Martin's bowling. The score was then 105. Gayle's fifty came up in 146 minutes, from 116 balls, with seven fours and one six. This innings could give him some confidence for the 2nd Test at Lords next week, as the West Indies are expected to name an unchanged team for that Test.

A special positive note here on the West Indies batting. This century opening partnership between Griffith and Gayle is the first century partnership for a West Indian opening pair since December 16 last year, when Sherwin Campbell and the same Adrian Griffith made a century partnership, 282, to be exact, against New Zealand in the 1st Test, in Hamilton.

Wavell Hinds came in and immediately attempted to beat the cover from the ball. When Hinds came to the crease, Griffith already had 46, yet at lunch, Hinds had already managed 31 while Griffith had struggled to 55, the West Indies 174-1 at the interval. In one over, from Bruce Martin, Hinds had hit three fours and a six.

Hinds and Griffith took the score to 242, a partnership of 110, before Hinds, who was 74 by that time, offered a lame catch to Scott Styris, at short mid-wicket, from left-arm orthodox spinner Bruce Martin. West Indies 242-2, Hinds out for 74, including ten fours and two sixes, in over 77. The partnership between Hinds and Griffith lasted 28 overs. Hinds' 50 was made from only 63 balls, batting for 76 minutes, including six fours and two sixes, a very aggressive innings indeed.

At tea, the West Indies were 288-3, with Griffith on 106 and Ramnaresh Sarwan on 0.

Griffith's 50 came up in 196 minutes, from 169 balls, and including six fours, while his century, his first since that tour of New Zealand, came in 309 minutes, from 265 balls and had only twelve fours. When he was fourth out, at 335-4, stumped by wicket-keeper Martyn Croy, from Glen Salzberger's bowling, Griffith had made 130 in 377 minutes of batting, from 300 balls and including sixteen fours. It was a very patient innings indeed, but a great confidence builder.

The third wicket to fall was that of Brian Lara, who looked very ill at ease, playing some good shots mixed with some airy-fairy shots. He only managed 16, from 22 deliveries in 32 minutes, and including two fours. Lara's wicket made it 286-3 when he tried to loft fast bowler Daryl Tuffey through the leg side, only to have the top edge caught by wicket-keeper Croy.

Jimmy Adams would be disappointed by his efforts, realizing only 08 scratchy runs before he was easily caught at square-leg by Chris Martin off Salzberger's bowling; West Indies 353-5. Adams looked rather square when he played the shot to get him out.

Sarwan played some very entertaining strokes, very much like Wavell Hinds, for his half century, 53, made in 110 minutes at the crease, from 100 balls, and including eight fours, before he tried to cut at Salzberger, the resulting top edge going to Michael Papps at backward point. Sarwan out for 53, the West Indies 380-6. That quickly became 380-7 as Nixon McLean, batting ahead of the injured Franklyn Rose, was also caught by Tuffey from Salzberger's bowling for no score.

New Zealand "A"'s best bowler was off spinner Glen Sulzberger, who had 4-102 from 34 overs, while Bruce Martin had 2-79 from 21 overs.

In total, about one hour, 13 overs, were lost to bad light and rain in the day's play.

It is likely that the West Indies will declare their 2nd innings close first thing on the 4th morning, and with a lead already of 420 runs, New Zealand "A" will be hard-pressed to avoid defeat, despite doubts that Franklyn Rose, who is suffering from a strained hamstring, would take any further part in the game. The West Indies, then, closed the 3rd day on 381-7, with Mahendra Nagamootoo on 7 and Wayne Phillip on 0.