Blackwood fifty secures draw for President’s XI

The second warm-up game of India’s tour of the Caribbean ended in a draw on Saturday. Batting a second time after being skittled out for 180, and being bludgeoned by India for 364, the WICB President’s XI team batted for 86 overs to ensure the result.

On the way, India took six scalps but a 143-ball-three-hour innings from Jermaine Blackwood went a long way toward ensuring the game would peter out into a fairly tame draw.

Ravichandran Ashwin was again the danger man for the Indians, as he took 3-59 from 20 overs of bowling at a run rate of just 2.95. The other wickets went to Mohammed Shami (11-3-22-1) and Ravindra Jadeja (14-7-42-1).

Resuming on his overnight score of nine, opener John Campbell got to 31 before Jadeja acounted for his wicket, while Shai Hope, who joined him because of the overnight loss of skipper, Leon Johnson, was very circumspect, until Ashwin proved his ondoing with his score on 17.

Blackwood had come to crease not long before Hope’s demise and set to the task of making the Indians wait.  When Hope lost his way, Vishaul Singh looked to be doing just as well until he was run out by Shikhar Dhawan for a well-played 39.

All the while Blackwood was steady until with the second ball of the 70th over, Ashwin bowled him.

Montcin Hodge, who is known to be a difficult player to prise from the crease, also stood firm to score an unbeaten 39.

Rahkeem Cornwall, who had a brilliant all-round game, scoring 42 in the first innings before taking 5-118, bowling against the Indians, returned to score 21 at a fair clip before Shami had him caught behind.

Wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton then had to bat for 26 minutes and face 17 balls to end the game as a contest. He was unbeaten on six. Scores in the match: WICB President’s XI 180 and 223-6; India 364.

Photo caption: Jermaine Blackwood kept the Indian bowlers at bay on the final day of the warm-up game