Sun | Apr 5, 2026

Greaves, Brathwaite, Hodge shine with 50s

Published:Thursday | January 11, 2024 | 12:07 AM
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West Indies batsman Justin Greaves raises his bat after scoring a half-century in a warm-up game against an Australia XI at the Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide yesterday.
CWI photo
West Indies batsman Justin Greaves raises his bat after scoring a half-century in a warm-up game against an Australia XI at the Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide yesterday.
West Indies batsman Kavem Hodge raises his bat after scoring a half-century in a warm-up game against an Australia XI at the Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide yesterday.
CWI photo
West Indies batsman Kavem Hodge raises his bat after scoring a half-century in a warm-up game against an Australia XI at the Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide yesterday.
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ADELAIDE, Australia (CMC):

ENTERPRISING ALL-ROUNDER Justin Greaves was one of three players with half-centuries as West Indies rallied on day one of their three-day tour match against Cricket Australia XI yesterday.

Entering at number six after the Caribbean side had lost three wickets for three runs in 23 deliveries, the right-hander carved out a polished top score of 65 as the visitors ended on 251 for eight at Karen Rolton Oval.

More significantly, Greaves anchored a 120-run, fifth-wicket stand with Kavem Hodge, who made 52, before West Indies suffered a collapse towards the end, losing four wickets for eight runs in quick time.

The other 50 came from captain Kraigg Brathwaite, the veteran opener hitting 52 to provide his side with a sound start after they won the toss and opted to bat.

Brathwaite escaped with a few streaky boundaries to third man early on as he put on a crucial 54 for the first wicket with left-hander Tagenarine Chanderpaul (17) and a further 46 for the second wicket with another left-hander, Kirk McKenzie, who struck 23.

Chanderpaul impressed with a couple of sweetly timed drives before edging a drive at seamer Bradley Hope and falling to a catch at the wicket, West Indies heading to lunch on 70 for one.

McKenzie’s demise about 45 minutes following the resumption, holing out on the pull to deep square off pacer Jack Nisbet (2-50), triggered a slide with left-hander Alick Athanaze (0) and Brathwaite following quickly.

Athanaze top-edged a pull at seamer Liam Haskett (3-57) and was taken by the ’keeper running around to short backward square while Brathwaite scooped left-arm spinner Doug Warren (2-47) to backward square after facing 129 balls and striking eight fours.

Greaves, who struck 10 fours in a 135-ball knock then combined with Hodge, who faced 101 deliveries and counted five fours and a six in the century stand to steer West Indies safely to tea on 160 for four.

Unbeaten on 27 at tea, Greaves reached his 50 with a single to mid-on off Warren in the first over following the drinks break while Hodge, on 25 at the interval, brought up his landmark by clearing the ropes at long-on off the bowling of off-spinner Tim Ward.

Both fell in successive overs, however, Hodge was trapped on the crease by a Warren arm ball, and Greaves played on to Haskett.