LONDON, Agencies:
WEST INDIES A were on the backfoot after a rain-abbreviated first day of their tour match against Nottinghamshire yesterday.
When stumps were drawn early, the home side had reached 149-3 at Trent Bridge with newcomer Vikram Atri compiling a patient 57. The one bright spot for West Indies A was a two-wicket performance from Jamaican paceman Jermaine Lawson.
After winning the toss on a cloudy morning, acting captain Wayne Noon opted to bat. Atri, along with Guy Welton (43) looked confident against the visiting opening bolwers. Marlon Black and Tino Best looked lacklustre, though Best extracted a little pace from a bland strip.
Welton cruised into the 40s with a succession of front-foot boundaries. His fluency was countered by a more dogged effort from Atri. Welton eventually fell, bowled by a quick one from Best, but Atri and Shafayat saw the Midlands county through to lunch without further alarm.
Shafayat (27) and Kevin Pieterson (1) fell soon after lunch with Lawson picking up both wickets, trapping Shafayat lbw before bowling Pieterson, who faced only two balls in nearly three quarters of an hour at the crease.
Atri opened up a little after he was joined by Patel (11 not out), stroking nine graceful boundaries. The West Indian bowlers again looked weary, clearly missing the steadying influence of giant left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn. Reon King had been left out, with Ryan Hinds making his first appearance on tour.
With the weather forecast for today a little more promising, Notts will probably be content with more batting practice.
