BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa (CMC):
Captain Joshua Da Silva finally ended a worrying rut by carving out his fourth first-class hundred, but West Indies-A found their massive target overwhelming and slipped to a 76-run defeat to South Africa-A in the final four-day ‘Test’ here yesterday.
Resuming the last day at Mangaung Oval on 47 for one in their second innings and still needing a further 374 runs for victory, West Indies ‘A’ made the contest closer than anticipated before they were bowled out in the final session for 344.
Da Silva was at the forefront of the run chase with a calculated 110 before he was last out with number 11 Jayden Seales unable to bat because of injury.
Left-hander Kirk McKenzie provided the early momentum with a scintillating 81 from 94 deliveries while Kavem Hodge chipped in with a measured 47 and opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 31.
Their enterprise left the tourists in with a chance of victory at tea on 270 for five, requiring a further 151 in the final session.
But, even though Da Silva converted his tea time 54 not out into triple figures, West Indies ‘A’ were undermined by fast bowler Dane Paterson, who picked up three wickets following the break, to end with four for 66.
West Indies lost the three-match series 2-1 after a dramatic one-wicket victory in the opener in Benoni, and then surrendering the next ‘Test’ by 232 runs in East London.
On 26 at the start and partnered by Chanderpaul on 11, the 23-year-old McKenzie launched an assault against the hosts’ bowlers as he stormed to a fifth first-class fifty.
He struck 13 fours and two sixes overall, racing to his fifty off 54 balls while extending his second wicket stand with Chanderpaul to 112.
Not surprisingly, McKenzie was first to fall when he top-edged a pull at fast bowler Duanne Olivier and was taken at deep square, and Chanderpaul followed in the next over without addition to the score at 126, slashing a wide long hop from Ruan de Swardt (2-45) to point.
Teenaged left-hander Jordan Johnson (9) perished soon afterwards, leaving the innings in a muddle at 149 for four but Da Silva and Hodge came together to take West Indies ‘A’ to lunch at 165 for four, afterward extending their fifth-wicket stand to 84.
Da Silva, with previous scores in the series of 20, five, seven, five and five, struck eight fours and two sixes while facing 138 balls in an innings lasting a shade over 3-3/4 hours.
He brought up his first fifty off 83 balls and his second off 50 deliveries, reaching his landmark with a sweetly timed drive to cover off Paterson, which brought him three.
When Hodge departed after facing 89 balls and counting four fours, Da Silva put on a further 39 with Kevin Sinclair (23) before eventually falling to a brilliant catch in the deep by Raynard van Tonder off Paterson.