WI ‘A’ Team’s tour to South Africa: Test 1 of 3: Sinclair’s heroics seal victory for Windies in thriller

An unbeaten 80 runs off 150 deliveries was just what the doctor ordered for West Indies ‘A’ on Friday morning at Benoni, after a batting meltdown had threatened their chances of clinching victory in the first of three 4-day unofficial Test matches in South Africa.
Coming in at number 7, the all-rounder Kevin Sinclair played a watchful innings that consisted of 8 fours and 3 sixes to get his side over the line with just one wicket to spare.
West Indies ‘A’ resumed the match on Friday morning on 8 without loss, needing 216 more runs for victory. Zachary McCaskie, who had scored 5 runs overnight, lasted for just the opening few minutes, and went for 6 runs off 19 deliveries.

Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Kirk McKenzie stuck around a little longer, respectively hitting 35 runs off 99 balls and 36 runs off 70 balls. But Mihlali Mpongwana, breathing fire, removed Chanderpaul and McCaskie, and later Kavem Hodge, for 12 runs from 41 balls.
Joshua DaSilva and Tevin Imlach, respective captain and vice-captain, did little to trouble the score, and the Caribbean side was left in hot water after their departure. DaSilva went for 5, and Imlach departed for just 2 runs.
In came Sinclair, and created small partnerships with the tail-enders, the most meaningful of which was with #11 batsman Jair McAllister. McAllister’s 7 runs from 34 balls proved valuable to the West Indies, as it allowed Sinclair to accumulate the necessary runs at the other end. The duo moved the score from 171-9 to the winning 224 in 80.4 overs.
Things became tense near the end of the innings, when the new ball was introduced in the 81st over and the Proteas entrusted it to the skillful Tshepo Moreki. West Indies ‘A’ needed just 3 runs at that time, but had a single wicket in hand. A leg- bye off Sinclair got them one run closer to the target, but McAllister was left to face the pacer. He, however, carved the ball into no man’s land to secure the winning run.
Mpongwana was the pick of the South African bowlers, taking 3-25 from 14 overs, while Dane Piedt took 2-58 from 22 overs and Hardus Viljoen claimed 2-43 from 11.
Moreki and Duanne Olivier each ended with one wicket.
Sinclair, who claimed 2-64 (18 overs) and 39 runs in the first innings, and 2-39 (17 overs) and 80* in the second innings, was adjudged the man-of-the-match.
The second unofficial four- day Test match will bowl off next Tuesday, November 28th, at Buffalo Park in East London, South Africa.