BRISBANE - The West Indies trailed an inexperienced Cricket Australia XI by two runs on Thursday as they struggled to make an impression in their opening Australian tour match in Brisbane.
At the close on the second day in the four-day game, CA XI, featuring six first-class debutants, were 245 for four after dismissing the Caribbean tourists for 243. In what will be a concern heading into the first Test against Australia in Hobart next week, a near full-strength West Indies team was mastered by modest opposition. Teenager Jake Carder (58), Nick Stevens (46), Josh Inglis (44) and captain James Peirson (42 not out) took apart a Windies attack which was missing only rested pace spearhead Jerome Taylor.
West Indies coach Phil Simmons laughed off criticism of his young squad. "That's the thing with young teams, it is easy for people to do that and write off teams," he said. "I don't think take any notice of it. It might encourage us to do better and push ourselves. "It's good when people do that. England did that at their peril." In Simmons' first stint at the helm in May, the Windies upset England with a five-wicket third Test win at Barbados to level their series 1-1.
BRIEF SCORES:
WEST INDIES: 243 (D. Bravo 51, C Brathwaite 47; S. Milenko 5-76)
CRICKET AUSTRALIA XI: 245-4 (J. Carder 58, N. Stevens 46; J. Holder 2-41).