West Indies 377 for 7 dec (Hetmyer 128*, Dowrich 108, Powell 82, Klein 3-77) v Leicestershire
Shimron Hetmyer enjoyed some time in the middle © Sarah Ansell / Stringer
Three figure partnerships for the sixth wicket, between Kieran Powell and Shane Dowrich, and the seventh, between Dowrich and Shimron Hetmyer, saved the West Indies from potential embarrassment after the tourists had been reduced to 64 for 5 by Leicestershire.
The runs were well timed from both a team and personal point of view as both Powell, who made 82, and Dowrich, who made an unbeaten 108, having been among the few West Indies batting failures in their remarkable victory over England in the second Test at Headingley last week.
Hetmyer, however, was playing just his third innings of the tour, and in scoring an unbeaten 128, played with freedom and real style against the old ball as Leicestershire’s attack tired in the evening session.
The 20-year-old Guyanan hit five sixes and 12 fours in going to a run-a-ball century, and having played three Tests earlier this year, all against Pakistan, may have put himself into the frame for a fourth cap at Lord’s.
It was not a flawless innings – Gavin Griffiths failed to hold a very catchable caught and bowled opportunity when Hetmyer was on 39, and he went to 99 with an inside edge of fast bowler Zak Chappell that Harry Swindells touched with his glove diving to his right behind the stumps – but he has certainly given the West Indies selectors something to think about.
Dowrich, who made a first innings duck and was not out without facing a ball at Headingley, hit 16 boundaries in his 176 ball innings.
Opener Powell, who scored 5 and 23 at Leeds, had scored 82 off 153 balls when he was unluckily caught behind down the leg-side off left-arm seamer Dieter Klein. He rode his luck at times, notably when twice edging Chappell through the slips, but he also hit some fine shots, including hooking Chappell for the six with which he brought up his half-century.
In terms of preparation for next week’s final Test, it had been a far from ideal morning for the tourists.
Kraigg Brathwaite had made just 2 when he was trapped leg before on the crease by a quick, in-swinging delivery from Klein, and Kyle Hope quickly followed, also leg before, falling over to the off-side as he attempted to defend a well pitched-up ball from Chappell.
Shai Hope, scorer of centuries in both innings at Headingly, played several high-class off-side drives as he and Powell added 48 for the third wicket, but having gone to 28 off just 32 balls, Hope played loosely at a straight delivery from Richard Jones and was bowled off the inside edge.
Roston Chase became the third leg before victim of the morning when he was dismissed by Gavin Griffiths, and Jermaine Blackwood drove airily at his second delivery to give Rob Sayer a straightforward catch at extra cover off Griffiths.
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo