Ill wind blows for West Indies
Walsh limps off field in first day against Griqualand West
Posted: Saturday November 14, 1998 03:10 PM
| |
Courtney Walsh's injury was the latest casualty on the West Indians seemingly ill-fated tour AP |
KIMBERLEY, South Africa -- Courtney Walsh limped off with a badly sprained ankle and the West Indies bowled out provincial side Griqualand West for 271 in 79.2 overs Saturday, the first day of a four-day exhibition match.
The injury, which happened shortly after tea during a final push to finish off the hosts, was the latest casualty on the West Indians seemingly ill fated tour.
Already the tour has been delayed by a pay dispute and the visitors are without bowler Curtly Ambrose, who had to have a toenail removed, and batsman Jimmy Adams, who severed tendons with a bread knife on the plane to South Africa and was sent home.
A spokesman said Walsh's left ankle was badly sprained and it was uncertain how long he would be out of action.
The West Indians replied with five for no loss before stumps were drawn.
With temperatures soaring to 37 degrees Celsius (99 Fahrenheit), Griqualand survived a middle-order batting crisis after an inexperienced top order stumbled to 121 for five.
Captain Findlay Brooker (46), Andre Botha (20) and 38-year-old veteran Pat Symcox (38) rallied the side. Tailenders Wendell Bossenger (17 not out) and Adri Swanepoel (18) completed the restoration.
Together, Brooker and Botha put on 42 for the sixth wicket before the latter was brilliantly caught by Clayton Lambert off Mervyn Dillon.
Symcox hit five fours in his 38 off 44 balls and, with Brooker, put together an additional 62 for the seventh wicket off 86 deliveries.
Symcox was caught leg behind by part-time legspinner Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who took over after Walsh's injury.
Saturday's match was the first of two for the West Indies, the other against Free State, before the first test begins November 26.
Rain and hail forced the abandonment of Wednesday's exhibition against a Gauteng Invitation XI at Soweto, the first match of the team's three-month tour.
The long-awaited tour, the West Indies' first of South Africa since the fall of apartheid, will likely determine the world's second-best team behind Australia.
In a sport dominated by white players, the black team's tour has symbolic importance for South Africa, where President Nelson Mandela sees sports as a bridge between racial divisions.
When the tests start, Walsh needs only one wicket to reach 376 and equal Malcolm Marshal's record for most test wickets by a Caribbean bowler.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
| 
