Windies crash to Derbyshire

DERBY: In a display of scandalous recklessness unworthy of a Sunday morning pick-up side, West Indies were bundled out for 223 off just 40.1 overs after choosing to bat on the opening day of a three-day cricket match against Derbyshire yesterday. The hosts, who have failed to make any impact in their domestic schedule this season, resume on the second day at 102 for two after negotiating 49 overs in which their top four further shamed the visitors in batting with the elements of good sense that had conspicuously escaped their opponents. The shocking performance, coming in the wake of heavy defeats in the first two Tests against England, was all the more distressing in that it made a mockery of manager Tony Howard’s statement released before play that the team was “looking forward to the last tour match and the final two Test matches, fully focused on achieving better results”.

Dwayne Smith survived three chances in crashing his way to a run-a-ball 55 that would have done little to enhance his claims for a Test recall next week at Old Trafford before joining the list of soft dismissals. His innings, comprising seven fours and one six, actually paled in comparison with Chris Gayle’s for its shot-a-ball carnival-style mentality. Opening the batting with Sylvester Joseph, the senior partner crashed nine fours in speeding to 42 off 24 balls before a yorker from opening bowler Paul Havell uprooted his off-stump with the total at 52 in just the seventh over. Chief beneficiary was off-spinner Nathan Dumelow,  who finished with career-best first-class figures of five for 51.

The 23-year-old, who had previously picked up just one wicket in the season at a cost of 152 runs off 47 overs, could hardly believe his good fortune on a balmy day at the County Ground. Ridley Jacobs, playing exclusively as a batsman, added 50 for the fifth wicket with Dwayne Smith, getting to 33 when an attempted cut found the edge for Andrew Gait to snare the sharp chance at first slip. Not surprisingly, the pace changed completely when Derbyshire started their reply in mid-afternoon, opener Stephen Stubbings batting through 49 overs for an unbeaten 37. In every respect, it was a gloomy day for the West Indies. (CMC)