Kolkata, Nov 2 (IANS) Led by Parvinder Singh’s valiant century, a resolute batting display by Uttar Pradesh made West Indians’ bowlers toil hard on a lifeless wicket at the Jadavpur University Ground as their three-day warm-up game ended in a draw here Saturday.
The Indian side declared at 372/9 replying to the visitor’s first innings total of 466.
Some dazzling strokeplay spearheaded by Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels and a flurry of wickets in the West Indians’ second innings lit up the day’s final session as the visitors reached 199/5 with UP captain and leggie Piyush Chawla picking up 4/72.
Gayle attacked from the outset and put on 68 with opening partner Kieran Powell (15), before the latter was castled by Chawla. Gayle 58 (49b, 11×4) fell a little later with Chawla taking a smart return catch.
Unperturbed at the fall of two quick wickets, Samuels continued the aggressive show, reaching his fifty in just 42 balls. However, his 84-run stand with Denesh Ramdin for the third wicket ended after Samuels (58, 47b, 9×4 1×6) holed out in the deep off tweaker Arish Alam.
Chawla then removed Ramdin (41, 53b, 5×4 1×6) in the next over to leave the visitors at 175/4. The leg spinner also snared his counterpart Darren Sammy (8), who got caught in the hands of Arish Alam in the deep.
Resuming at 206/5 overnight, UP added another 166 runs in 43 overs as the Caribbean bowlers struggled to make early inroads. Pacer Sheldon Cottrell (3/65) and left arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul (3/124) were the most successful Windies bowlers.
Playing his 50th first class game, Parvinder scored his ninth ton when he cut Cottrell through backward point for four. Parvinder (112, 17×4, 2×6) became the first casualty of the day as he was caught at gully fending a short ball from Cottrell.
Chawla then joined overnight not out batsman Amir Khan in the middle as the duo added 69 runs to take the score to 329/6 at lunch. Both batsmen enjoyed a reprieve each.
Powell failed to latch on to a difficult chance at forward short leg with Khan just on 13 while Tino Best failed to grasp a Chawla skier. The unfortunate bowler on both occasions was Permaul.
Chawla (46, 58b, 9×4) departed in the 85th over, caught behind of Best while Khan (47, 128b, 7×4) continued to frustrate the bowlers adding another 30 with Imtiaz Ahmed before being snared at slip off Permaul.
Ahmed (19, 30b, 2×4, 1×6) fell after he holed out to mid on off Cottrell, prompting Chawla to declare.