India A won the unofficial two-match four-day Test series against West Indies A by 1-0 in England after beating their opponents remarkably by 5 wickets in the second game at The Cooper Associates County Ground (Taunton).
On Tuesday, the opening day of the game, West Indies A decided to bat first after winning the toss. With the help of skipper Shamarh Brooks’ splendid unbeaten century knock (122), West Indies A put 302 runs on the board.
Among the Indian bowlers, Mohammed Siraj (4/68) picked up four wickets while Shahbaz Nadeem (3/42) claimed three wickets.
In reply, India A was bundled out for just 192 runs at the end of the first innings as West Indies A was 110 runs ahead. Ankit Bawne scored the highest runs of 43 runs while the skipper Karun Nair scored 42 runs. Also, the last man Vijay Shankar scored an important 30 runs.
Among the Caribbean bowlers, left-arm pacer Raymon Reifer (5/50) scalped a five-wicket haul while another right-arm pacer Oshane Thomas (3/66) bagged three wickets.
In the second innings, West Indies A had a good start as their opener John Campbell (61) and the no.3 batsman Jermaine Blackwood (67) scored half-centuries. But the next batsmen fell cheaply as the Caribbean was bowled out for 210 runs and put a 321-run target for India A.
Once again Mohammed Siraj (4/64) picked up four wickets while Rajneesh Gurbani (3/64) got three wickets.
Chasing down the target, skipper Karun Nair, Hanuma Vihari and Rishabh Pant delivered half-centuries that helped the team to secure a remarkable victory on the day 4. Nair and Vihari scored 55 and 68 respectively while Pant was not out on 67 runs and carried his innings to the victory as India A won by 5 wickets (321/5).
In this time, none West Indies A bowlers picked up more than one wicket while Sherman Lewis (1/64), Raymon Reifer (1/49), Romario Shepherd (1/57) and Jomel Warrican (1/36) were the wicket-takers in that innings.
Brief Scores: West Indies A – 302 (Shamarh Brooks 122*, John Campbell 41; Mohammed Siraj 4/68) & 210 (Jermaine Blackwood 67, John Campbell 61; Mohammed Siraj 4/64)
India A – 192 (Ankit Bawne 43, Karun Nair 42; Mohammed Siraj 4/68) & 321/5 (Hanuma Vihari 68, Rishabh Pant 67*; Raymon Reifer 1/49)
Result – India A won by 5 wickets
