BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - TWENTY-YEAR-OLD Akeem Saunders stroked a classy half century yesterday (Apr. 8) at the Warner Park Cricket Stadium for a St. Kitts and Nevis Invitational Xl in a two-day match against an English XI, as the visitors warm up for a three-Test series against the West Indies starting next week.
Four English batsmen - Jonny Bairstow, Jonathan Trott, Gary Ballance and Joe Root - turned out for the St. Kitts and Nevis Invitational side at Warner Park in an effort to gain much needed practice before moving on to Antigua for the opening Test.
Saunders, a former West Indies Under-19 batman, stroked an even 50 in 144 minutes from 120 balls with eight boundaries. He reached his half century with a hook shot off a short ball from England’s strike bowler Stuart Broad.
Saunders’ innings saw some masterful stroke play especially against the English spinners, though at times he struggled with the pace from the faster bowlers.
His knock formed part of a 135-run partnership between himself and England’s Jonny Bairstow as the pair took the score from 55 for 4 to 190.
Saunders’ downfall however came just before the tea break when he missed timed a shot and was caught at midoff.
Bairstow, in the end, made a stroke filled 98 before he was caught behind off a good ball from Ben Stokes.
Another English batsman, Joe Root, stroked an excellent unbeaten 87 for the home side as they close the day on 303 for 9.
With good weather, it is expected that the England XI will get a chance to bat the full 90 overs today.
