GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CANA - FRUSTRATED by rain, when set to win the first "Test" and take an unbeatable lead in the two-match series, the West Indies "A" face South Africa "A" in the decisive second cricket "Test" starting at Bourda here today.
When the rain came on the stroke of tea putting an end to play on the final day of the first "Test', played at Arnos Vale, St Vincent, West Indies "A" had required a mere nine runs to win with eight wickets remaining after being set a modest 137 for victory.
While admitting his players batted poorly in the first "Test", South African coach Hylton Ackerman has stressed "we are a much better team."
Pointing out there will be improvements, the former South African Test player said his players were of the view that the West Indies pitches would have been faster.
Apart from coming very close to losing the first "Test", the South Africans are unbeaten on the tour to date, whipping Barbados in their one-day clash and playing to draws with Barbados, the Windward Islands and Guyana in the longer version of the game.
With opener Daren Ganga and middle-order batsman Ricardo Powell off to Australia to attend an academy for six weeks, and fast bowler Mervyn Dillon unavailable for personal reasons, the West Indies selectors have been forced to make three changes to the first "Test" XI.
Teenaged Grenadian left-handed opening batsman Devon Smith, who led the Windward Islands to their first-ever regional Under-19 cricket title and in the process was named the Most Valuable Player, replaces Ganga.
Ryan Hinds, the Barbadian 19-year-old middle-order batsman, who sat out the first "Test", comes in for the hard-hitting Powell while Leeward Islands' seamer Keremy Jeremy replaces Dillon.
Jeremy is one of seven players in the "A" team chosen for the West Indies senior team to play in the International Cricket Council (ICC) knockout tournament in Kenya from October 3-15.
The others are skipper Courtney Browne, Sylvester Joseph, Colin Stuart, Azeemul Haniff, Marlon Samuels and Dillon.
Teams:
West Indies "A" - Courtney Browne (captain), Azeemul Haniff, Devon Smith, Runako Murton, Sylvester Joseph, Ryan Hinds, Marlon Samuels, Dinanath Ramnarine, Colin Stuart, Kerry Jeremy, Marlon Black. Narsingh Deonarine is the 12th man.
South Africa"A" (from) - Dale Beckenstein (captain), Nic Pothas, Marc Bruyns, Doug Watson, Graham Smith, Justin Ontong, Ashwell Prince, Justin Kemp, Robin Peterson, Carl Langeveldt, Mfuneko Ngam, Charl Willoughby, Victor Mpitsang, Gerald Dros, Granett Kruger and James Bryant.
