South Africa ‘A’ claim series win over West Indies

GROS ISLET, Saint Lucia (CMC):

RIVALDO MOONSAMY and captain Marques Ackerman both struck half-centuries as South Africa ‘A’ completed a series winning six-wicket victory over West Indies ‘A’ in the third and final 50-over match yesterday.

Moonsamy fell six runs short of a deserved century, while Ackerman made 71, and South Africa easily overhauled the home side’s total of 253 in 47.3 overs, finishing on 258 for four in just 34.5 overs.

The result carried the visitors to a 2-0 win in the three-match series, following their 42-run win in the opening match. The second match was rained out.

West Indies ‘A’ immediately found themselves on the backfoot after winning the toss and electing to bat first at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium.

They lost the wicket of opener Kadeem Alleyne, before fast-bowler Okuhle Cele dismissed captain Alick Athanaze and Kevlon Anderson to see them slip to 16 for three in the sixth over.

Shaqkere Parris came to his side’s rescue, however, first adding 78 runs with Jyd Goolie, who made 30, and then sharing a 101-run partnership with Javelle Glenn, who scored a counter-attacking 52 off 49 balls with four boundaries and three sixes.

West Indies were cruising at 195 for four in the 38th over, but Glenn’s dismissal sparked a collapse that saw them lose three wickets for 21 runs, including the prized scalp of Parris.

The Barbadian seemed on the verge of a century when he was dismissed by pacer Ruan de Swardt for 96 after facing 111 balls and hitting 10 fours and two sixes.

Khary Pierre tried his best in an unbeaten knock of 26 off 25 balls, but the home side could only muster 16 runs from the last five overs in the face of disciplined bowling by South Africa.

Cele finished with 3-29, while de Swardt (2-35) and Tshepo Moreki (2-41) provided good support.

Moonsamy added 31 runs for the first wicket with Jordan Hermann to give South Africa a decent start, but it was his partnership with Ackerman that took the game away from the West Indies.

After pacer Ojay Shields dismissed Hermann for 10, Moonsamy and Ackerman took complete control of the contest during a 140-run partnership for the second wicket that turned the tide in South Africa’s favour.

West Indies finally got the breakthrough when pacer Johann Layne accounted for Ackerman’s wicket to leave the score 171 for two in the 23rd over.

Left-arm spinner Pierre then trapped Sinethemba Qeshile lbw for 16, and Shields did the same to Moonsamy to dismiss him for 94 off 91 balls. He struck 15 fours and one six in his innings.

But Jason Smith, who hit an unbeaten 35, and de Swardt, who made 13 not out, shared an unbroken 50-run partnership to guide their team to a dominant win.

Shields was West Indies’ best bowler with 2-44.