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Athanaze sparks on woeful first day for Windies

Published:Thursday | July 13, 2023 | 12:07 AM
West Indies debutant Alick Athanaze (left) plays a confident backdrive under the watchful gaze of Indian players during first-day action of the first Test at Windsor Park in Dominica yesterday.
CWI Media
West Indies debutant Alick Athanaze (left) plays a confident backdrive under the watchful gaze of Indian players during first-day action of the first Test at Windsor Park in Dominica yesterday.

ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC):

A LETHARGIC West Indies were rolled over for the second lowest first-innings total at Windsor Park as world number-one India dominated the opening day of the first Test in Dominica’s capital yesterday.

Choosing to bat first, West Indies produced an indifferent performance to be all out for 150, about 24 minutes after tea, with off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin wrecking the innings with his 33rd five-wicket haul of five for 60.

He was supported by left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who picked up three for 26, as West Indies never really recovered after capitulating to 68 for four at lunch and declining even further to 137 for eight at tea.

In reply, India coasted to 80 without loss to finish the day only 70 runs in arrears. Debutant left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal was unbeaten on 40 from 73 balls with six fours while his senior partner, captain, Rohit Sharma, was on 30 from 65 deliveries, including three fours and a six.

With West Indies enduring yet another difficult day of Test cricket, the only standout was stylish debutant Alick Athanaze, who top-scored with 47 before perishing 11 minutes before tea.

Arriving at the crease half an hour before lunch, the 24-year-old left-hander crafted a composed innings, which required 99 balls and two and a quarter hours, and comprised a half-dozen fours and a six.

His 41-run, sixth-wicket stand with all-rounder Jason Holder (18) in the second session was the best of the innings, but it proved in vain as the hosts lost their last five wickets for just 33 runs.

“I think the key for me today was just settling in,” said Athanaze, who was playing before his home crowd.

“Normally when I bat I tend to score quickly, but it was just about giving myself a chance, adapting to the conditions and understanding what [the bowlers] were trying to do.

“Once added responsibility is placed on me, I tend to thrive in those situations. So it wasn’t an ideal situation for the team, but coming in, it helped me to switch on that a couple of wickets were down.”