Aussies plunder Vice Chancellor’s bowlers

BRIDGETOWN, Barba-dos: Built on a double-century opening partnership between Justin Langer and Jimmy Maher, who hit a hundred, Australia took a 68-run first innings lead over the UWI Vice Chancellor’s XI on the second day of the three-day match at the 3Ws Oval, Cave Hill today.

The Australians declared at 358 for six in reply to a total of 290 all out, and by the close, the Vice Chancellor’s XI were 32 for two off 13 overs in their second innings — still 36 runs in arrears with eight wickets standing. At the crease are captain Philo Wallace on 19 and Darry Balgobin, who is yet to score. The VC XI’s second innings started disastrously when first innings century-maker Chris Gayle was run out without scoring off the third ball. The left-hander pushed pacer Glen McGrath into the covers and went for a non-existent single as Brad Hogg pounced on the ball and with his natural left-arm hit the stumps in one motion at the wicketkeeper’s end as Gayle desperately tried to regain his ground. Jason Haynes, another left-hander who made 58 in a 195-run second wicket stand with Gayle in the first innings, was comprehensively bowled for two as played over a pitched up ball by pacer Brad Williams.

Earlier, the left-handed pair of Langer and Maher added 202 in 228 minutes off 53.4 overs with Langer scoring 96 off 167 balls including eight fours and a six before he was first out, leg before wicket from a pull off occasional off-spinner Ricardo Powell half-an-hour after lunch. The 29-year-old Maher, who is still to play a Test match but who has turned out in 21 One-Day Internationals, went on to slam 142 — his 18th first-class hundred in his 123rd match. The Queenslander was at the crease for 266 minutes, faced 187 balls and hit 21 boundaries and a six. Barbados fast bowler Corey Collymore, a member of the West Indies World Cup team at the recent tournament in South Africa, was the most impressive bowler, taking two for 54 off 22 overs. One of his victims was veteran captain Steve Waugh, who was fifth out for 46 in 92 minutes with the score 332. Waugh was undone by a vicious lifting delivery, which he fended for a lobbed catch behind the stumps for wicketkeeper Matthew Sinclair to take. Apart from Collymore, Powell took two for 66 off 14.3 overs and Kenyan leg-spinner Collins Obuya two for 77 off 15 overs.