A new-look England will be looking to draw a line under a miserable World Cup as they take on the West Indies in a three-match ODI series.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the topics up for debate ahead of the series opener in Antigua on Sunday.
Keep calm and carry on
No longer the standard-bearers in ODIs after their crown dramatically slipped in India, the talk from outside the England camp is of a reset. Those inside the dressing room, however, argue that one bad campaign should not be followed by radical transformation. It is sound logic given how successful the blueprint created by Eoin Morgan then taken on by Jos Buttler was, enabling England to become the first nation to hold both limited-overs World Cups simultaneously.
Out with the old, in with the new
So a change in approach seems unlikely but only half a dozen of the World Cup squad have travelled out to the Caribbean, which might have been the case regardless of how well they fared. Many of England’s established stars are the wrong side of 30 and unlikely to be involved in the 2027 World Cup – some such as Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes might not play another ODI. Will Jacks and Phil Salt are set to form an explosive opening combination while teenage leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed and pacemen Gus Atkinson and the uncapped John Turner may be at the forefront of a new era.
Pressure on Buttler and Mott
As England’s World Cup title defence unravelled, scrutiny inevitably fell on the decision-making of captain Buttler and head coach Matthew Mott. They have been backed fully by director of men’s cricket Rob Key, who shouldered some of the blame for prioritising the Test team above all else. While Key expects the experience to strengthen Buttler-Mott as a partnership, he added the caveat: “If it isn’t, it isn’t and you move on.” Victory in this series and in the three T20s that follow – six months before returning here for the T20 World Cup – would go a long way to easing some concerns.
Cricket’s unrelenting schedule
Barely three weeks on from the final match of the World Cup, six travellers from a gruelling trip to India are in another continent preparing for a different series. Buttler, Atkinson, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone and Brydon Carse hardly had any time back in the UK before having to pack their suitcases again. A congested programme is frequently lamented and shows no sign of slowing down – although these are England’s last ODIs until September.
Rally round the West Indies
While England’s campaign in India went badly awry and they finished seventh out of 10 teams, the Windies were absent from the extravaganza, losing four of five matches and finishing below Scotland and Zimbabwe in the qualifiers. Shai Hope remains captain but the hosts will be without Jason Holder and Nicholas Pooran because of their involvement in the Abu Dhabi T10, a reminder of the Windies’ talent drain to franchise competitions. Shane Dowrich was then named in the squad before immediately retiring from international cricket this week. Little-known players such as Alick Athanaze, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty and Gudakesh Motie therefore get a chance to show what they can do as the Windies look to rebuild.
Richard Gleeson picked up three big wickets in one over, and later the Player-of-the-Match award, to set up a huge win for Delhi Bulls over Bangla Tigers in Abu Dhabi T10 League action at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
The win was Bulls' third in a row, and placed them comfortably at the top of the table, at least for the time being.
Tigers were going fine at 28 for 2 after three overs, and with Jordan Cox, David Miller and Dasun Shanaka, among others, to follow, looked set to put up another big total after scoring 143 for 4 in their win over Dubai Gladiators on Thursday.
But Gleeson changed the script in the space of five balls in the fourth over, getting rid of Miller, Shanaka and Cox, in that order, to leave Tigers completely off-kilter at 29 for 5.
Between Daniel Sams (20 not out in 15 balls) and Carlos Brathwaite (21 in 17), Tigers did fight back to get to 81 for 7, but it was never going to be enough against Bulls' powerful batting line-up.
Quinton de Kock and Johnson Charles fell inside two overs, but James Vince (17 in nine), Rilee Rossouw (21* in 11) and captain Rovman Powell (37* in 11) made sure Bulls got to the target quickly - in just six overs.
For Tigers, it was a second loss in three games, and at the end of it, they were placed seventh on the eight-team table.
Earlier on Saturday, explosive 30s from captain Nicholas Pooran and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, followed by Andre Fletcher's 12-ball 41, set up a crushing win for Deccan Gladiators over Team Abu Dhabi.
Pooran dashed out of the blocks taking left-arm finger-spinner Roelof van der Merwe for two fours and two sixes in the first over. Rumman Raees then dealt a double-blow, removing both Pooran and Andre Russell off successive balls in the fourth over, but Kohler-Cadmore and Fletcher proceeded to re-establish Gladiators' dominance.
Six of the 12 balls that Fletcher faced were sent to the boundary, including five sixes. Fletcher, Fabian Allen and Kohler-Cadmore all fell in quick succession, but David Wiese provided the final flourish with 15 off six balls.
Abu Dhabi started their chase shakily, losing their top three inside five overs. Leus du Plooy (25), Colin Ingram (19) and captain Dwaine Pretorius (9), fought back to lend some respectability to the scorecard. Sri Lankan slinger Nuwan Thushara, who plays for Jaffna Kings in the LPL, was the pick of the bowlers for Gladiators, coming away with 2 for 5 in his two overs.
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Johnson Charles and Rovman Powell both played starring roles to help the Delhi Bulls get their second win in as many games in the 2023 Abu Dhabi T10 League on Friday with a 65-run triumph over the Chennai Braves at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Charles made a 21-ball 40 opening the batting including four fours and two sixes while skipper Powell, batting at five, hit 35 off just 15 balls including one four and four sixes to help the Bulls post an intimidating 126-6 off their 10 overs after being put in to bat.
Englishman James Vince also showed good form with 37 off 14 balls. Obed McCoy and Junaid Siddique had identical figures of 2-18 from two overs.
Chennai’s chase then came up significantly short, being bowled out for just 61 in 8.5 overs.
Only Mohammad Nabi was able to crack double figures with 25 as Fazalhaq Farooqi (2-8 from two overs), Muhammad Rohid (2-14 from two overs), Naveen-ul-Haq (2-22 from two overs) and Ravi Bopara (2-4 from five balls) combined to produce an excellent display of bowling.
Matthew Forde was 20 years old when he first appeared for a CPL franchise. Having had success in age group cricket he was someone who was of interest to CPL teams, but it was a conversation with Pedro Collins that started his CPL career. Forde had been coached by Collins for a while. They lived very close to each other, and Collins would regularly give Forde a lift to and from training.
On one of those journeys the conversation turned to CPL cricket. Forde told Collins that he did not currently have a team. Collins is part of the Saint Lucia Kings set up and he called Daren Sammy, the Kings head coach, while Forde was in the car. Forde was encouraged to send videos of him in action to Sammy and by the time he was dropped off Sammy had called back to say, “I want this youngster.”
That conversation led to Forde making his CPL debut during the 2022 season, and while he didn’t bowl in his first match, he was entrusted with the new ball for his home debut against Guyana Amazon Warriors. Forde says his response to being asked if he wanted this responsibility so early in his career was to tell Sammy, “You asking a dog if he want a bone”.
Forde was determined to make the most of that opportunity. While sat on a drinks cooler waiting for his home debut he made it clear to his team mate, Rivaldo Clarke, that he was not going to miss his chance. He said: “Rivaldo boy, I don't know about you, but I know when I get my chance and I come off of this cooler, I'm not coming back on this cooler.”
Forde has not had to sit on the side lines since, with the latest milestone being his call up for the West Indies ODI team who are taking on England in December. His coach for that series will be Daren Sammy, and Forde has said that his relationship with the Kings and West Indies head coach has been foundational to his career.
“I think he has been, if not the backbone, he has been the main guy for me in terms of giving me that opportunity and trusting me, believing in me. I started opening with the new ball for the Kings and he trusted me. I just kept performing until he built that trust in me,” Forde said.
For Forde, the CPL has been the building block for his career progression since making that breakthrough in 2022. “I think CPL was the foundation. CPL really started it all because without CPL then the rest of the world wouldn't see me. CPL was my first major tournament. So, for me that's like CPL was the foundation. And I will always say the Kings will always be at my heart.”
Going forward, Forde wants to develop all elements of his game. He has two half centuries in topflight cricket, one as an overseas player at the Lanka Premier League and another in the recently concluded Super 50 tournament where he presented the West Indies academy side. He says developing his batting and becoming a true all-rounder is where he wants his game end up.
“My goal is to be to be the number one all-rounder in the world and to put West Indies cricket back to where it needs to be at the top. So, for me and a couple of the younger guys like me, we work really hard in in terms of fitness, the mental side of the game, theory, whatever it be. We are always working because we know what we want to achieve, and we know the goals that we have set and planned out as a collective group.”
Former Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt has been appointed to a first official role since he was jailed for spot-fixing.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has named Butt as one of three consultants to new chief selector Wahab Riaz.
In 2011, Butt was jailed for 30 months for his part in a conspiracy to bowl deliberate no-balls during the Test against England at Lord’s the previous summer.
Butt, 39, was also handed a 10-year ban by the International Cricket Council, with five years suspended, for his role in the controversy, which also involved team-mates Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir.
Along with former Pakistan internationals Kamran Akmal and Rao Iftikhar, Butt, who returned to play domestic cricket in 2016, will take up his role on the selection panel with immediate effect ahead of the T20 series against New Zealand in January, which follows the conclusion of the Test tour to Australia.
All three players were part of Pakistan’s successful T20 World Cup in 2009 and look set to bring some of their experience to the current squad.
The PCB added in a statement: “When not engaged in selection duties, the consultant members may be assigned additional tasks such as conducting skills camps.”
The move follows an overhaul of Pakistan’s set-up following an early exit from the 2023 World Cup in India.
As well as new chief selector, Mohammad Hafeez has come in as team director.
Babar Azam stepped down as captain, with Shan Masood confirmed as Pakistan’s new Test skipper and Shaheen Afridi set to lead the T20 side.
West Indies ‘A’ was thumped by 232 runs South Africa ‘A’ as the second unofficial Test between the two teams concluded in East London on Friday.
South Africa ‘A’ bowled the Caribbean side out for 202 on the third day of the four-day encounter to level the keenly contested series 1-1.
Resuming on 134-5 with Tevin Imlach on 16 and Kevin Sinclair, 15, and with the West Indies A still needing 308 runs for victory, the tourists’ innings only lasted an additional 18 overs as Imlach was dismissed for 34 and Sinclair 21.
Akeem Jordan fought bravely for 21 and Shamar Joseph was not out on 18 as Dane Piedt continued his outstanding performance with the ball, taking three of the final five wickets to fall to finish with the impressive figures of 6-75 and overall match figures of 11-103.
Scores in the match: South Africa ‘A’ ‘298 and 297-4 dec.; West Indies ‘A’ 154 and 202.
In a thrilling encounter at the Abu Dhabi T20 League on Thursday, the Bangla Tigers emerged victorious with a 20-run win over the Deccan Gladiators, despite notable performances from Fabian Allen and Nicholas Pooran.
Chasing the Tigers' formidable score of 143-4 in 10 overs, the Deccan Gladiators, led by Pooran, fell short, managing 123-3 in their allotted overs. The Tigers owed their match-winning total to an exceptional innings from Jordan Cox, who scored an unbeaten 90 runs from just 36 balls, featuring eight fours and six sixes.
Cox's explosive knock was particularly impressive as it steered the Tigers from a precarious position of 34-4 within the first four overs. Openers Chris Lynn, David Miller, and Daniel Sams failed to contribute to the scoreboard, but Cox, along with Dasun Shanaka (25 runs from 11 balls), shared an unbroken partnership of 110 runs, propelling their team to a challenging total.
Kusal Mendis chipped in with 19 runs, being the only other batter to score for the Tigers. Andre Russell, supported by Nuwan Thushara (2-22), took 1-5 in his one over, contributing to the Gladiators' bowling effort.
In pursuit of a challenging target, the Deccan Gladiators found themselves at 71-3 after 5.1 overs, with Pooran leading the charge, scoring 41 runs from just 17 balls, including three fours and four sixes. However, the usually explosive Andre Russell struggled, managing only 11 not out from 17 balls, hindering the Gladiators' chase.
Despite the efforts of Allen, who remained unbeaten with a score of 40, featuring five sixes and a four, the Gladiators fell short of the required run rate.
Haider Ali and Dominic Drakes played crucial roles in restricting the scoring, returning figures of 1-11 and 1-21, respectively. However, Daniel Sams proved expensive, conceding 35 runs in his two overs, although he managed to take two wickets.
Ben Duckett cast doubt on England overhauling their white-ball approach despite a wretched World Cup which he insisted “does not define a team”.
Duckett watched from home as England’s defence of the crown they won amid much fanfare in 2019 went badly awry, losing six of their first seven fixtures before claiming a couple of consolation wins.
England’s misery has led to speculation of a reset going forward and only half a dozen of the contingent from India are out in the Caribbean for an ODI series starting on Sunday in Antigua.
Duckett is one of the beneficiaries of a number of more established stars being rested but he was adamant that England do not need to make adjustments to a blueprint that served them so well for many years.
“We have watched how England have played cricket over the past eight years and one bad five weeks does not define a team,” Duckett said. “It’s probably been the greatest white-ball team ever.
“If we can go and play how they have played over the past eight years or even half as good that will be an achievement. We know how they want to play their cricket.
“I don’t think the approach is going to change because of how the World Cup went. I think the age is probably the factor. If they win that World Cup, the same group of players might be here.
“It was potentially guys who were late 30s and coming towards the end of their 50-over careers. So it seemed like there was always going to be a fresh start after it.”
Captain Jos Buttler, batter Harry Brook, all-rounders Liam Livingstone and Sam Curran and fast bowlers Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse are the England players out in the West Indies who were at the World Cup.
Players on the fringes such as teenage leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, big-hitting all-rounder Will Jacks and uncapped fast bowler John Turner now have an opportunity in these three matches over the next 10 days.
Duckett rejected the notion there was any additional burdens on this group after recent events, even if the left-handed batter admitted his desperation to shine to stay in England’s limited-overs plans.
“Not in the slightest,” he said. “We don’t feel pressure, you know? I think fresh is a good word. A group of players who can go and showcase what we can do.
“But I think for each and every one of us it’s important to perform. I need to go and prove that I’m good enough to be on this team and so do the other guys.”
Duckett has cemented himself into England’s Test team as an opener but even though he is renowned for his attack-minded mentality, he has been capped in just eight ODIs and 11 T20s in seven years.
In his most recent international appearance, Duckett registered an unbeaten hundred against Ireland in September as part of a second-string England side, with the big guns rested ahead of the World Cup.
At 29, he could be entering his peak and a mainstay in all three formats but Duckett, who is expected to bat in the middle-order this weekend, is refusing to taking anything for granted.
“I’m genuinely thinking about the next three weeks,” he added. “I know how difficult it is to stay in a side when there’s this many players.
“I think the biggest thing I’ve learned over the last 12 to 15 months is not thinking too far ahead.
“I’ve got to go and score runs this series to get to the next one, there’s people banging down the door who aren’t here so, I don’t think I’m a shoo-in for the next four years. I’d be silly to think that.”
Dominica has made an about turn on its plans to hosts matches in next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup being staged in the Caribbean and USA, citing an inability to get infrastructure in place for the competition dates in June.
The Dominica Government, through its Sports Ministry, on Thursday pointed out that it is “in the best interest of all” that it withdraws as one of the hosts of the global event set for June 4-30.
“The implementation timelines submitted by the various contractors revealed that it would not be possible to complete these works within the stipulated timeframe before the commencement of the tournament,” A press release from Dominica’s Ministry of Culture, Youth, Sports and Community Development Administration explained.
“As a result, a decision was taken not to host any of the matches in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, as it would not be prudent for the Government of Dominica to commit to hosting these games," it added.
In September of this year, Dominica was listed among seven venues in the Caribbean selected to host matches. Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago, are the others. Dominica’s Windsor Park Sports Stadium (WPSS) was shortlisted for one group stage match and two games in the Super 8 stage of the tournament, subject to the attainment of various obligations as set out in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
“Several tangible actions were taken both at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium and at the Benjamin’s Park including the commencement of upgrading and enhancement of the practice and match venues, various assessments and the creation of additional pitches where necessary,” the release stated.
“In light of Dominica’s sterling reputation in hosting international cricket, this decision is considered to be in the best interest of all. The Government of Dominica thanks Cricket West Indies (CWI) for its partnership over the years and looks forward to continued collaboration in the future. The Government of Dominica extends best wishes to the organisers for a successful tournament in June 2024,” the Ministry’s release concluded.
West Indies “A” will have it all to do on Saturday’s fourth and final day of their second unofficial “Test” match against South Africa “A” if they want to go 2-0 up in the three-match series.
Friday saw the West Indians end day three 134-5 off 41 overs, needing a further 308 runs for victory on day four at Buffalo Park in East London.
Zachary McCaskie hit a 90-ball 50 to top score for the West Indies, so far.
Tevin Imlach (16) and Kevin Sinclair (15) are the batsmen at the crease.
Off-spinner Dane Piedt ended the day with 3-57 from 14 overs.
Earlier, South Africa began day three 65-1 with a lead of 209 runs and continued to drive the West Indies further back through some excellent batting.
Tony De Zorzi (34) and Raynard Van Tonder (20) were the batsmen at the crease at the start of the day.
De Zorzi fell pretty quickly for 37 and that wicket brought Keegan Petersen to the crease to join Van Tonder.
Van Tonder was able to score his second half-century of the game with a 74-ball 56 before he fell in the 39th over with South Africa “A” cruising at 139-3.
Petersen carried on, batting beautifully on his way to an unbeaten 112 off 134 balls, following up his 67 in the first innings.
Khaya Zondo (49) and Ruan De Swardt (29*) also provided excellent contributions as the hosts declared on 297-4 off 71.3 overs, setting the West Indies a target of 442 for victory.
Full Scores:
South Africa “A” 298 off 97.2 overs (Keegan Petersen 67, Raynard Van Tonder 50, Tony De Zorzi 44, Ruan De Swardt 42, Akeem Jordan 3-43, Shamar Joseph 3-57, Kevin Sinclair 2-53, Jair McAllister 2-64) & 297-4 dec. off 71.3 overs (Keegan Petersen 112*, Raynard Van Tonder 56, Khaya Zondo 49)
West Indies “A” 154 off 47.2 overs (Zachary McCaskie 62, Dane Piedt 5-28, Tshepo Moreki 3-66) & 134-5 off 41 overs (Zachary McCaskie 50, Dane Piedt 3-57)
Cricket West Indies (CWI) today announced that Shane Dowrich, the experienced wicket-keeper/batsman has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect and has withdrawn from the West Indies squad for the upcoming CG United One-Day International (ODI) Series against England.
Dowrich made his international debut against Australia in Dominica in 2015. He played 35 Tests where he scored 1,570 runs including three centuries with a top score of 125 not out against Sri Lanka in Trinidad in 2018. Behind the stumps, he had 85 catches and five stumpings. He also played one ODI in Ireland in May 2019.
“We want to thank Shane for contribution when he played for West Indies. He is a disciplined, hard-working cricketer who always gave his utmost in front and behind the stumps. He had a memorable series in 2019 when he made an outstanding Test century on home soil in Barbados to help us beat England and win the Wisden Trophy. We respect his decision to retire and appreciate it is not an easy one to make. We wish him all the best as he steps away from the international stage.”
The CWI Selection Panel will not name a replacement for the three match Series and the squad consists of 14 players. The CG United ODI Series will feature three matches. The tour will start with two CG United ODIs at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Sunday 3 December and Wednesday 6 December. The first CG United ODI is a day game starting at 9:30am with the second CG United ODI is a day/night game starting at 1:30pm.
The tour then moves to Barbados for the third and final CG United ODI to be played at Kensington Oval, on Saturday 9 December. This will also be a day/night contest starting at 1:30pm.
Fans can purchase tickets in advance, saving money on the venue box office price (saving included in the online price) from the Windies Tickets service presented by Mastercard at www.tickets.windiescricket.com . Fans can choose their preferred seats and download or print the tickets from their Windies Tickets account to present at the venue entrance.
The venue box office at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium is also open for tickets sales. Fans can visit on non-match days from 9am to 5pm. On match days the box office will open two hours before the official start of play.
FULL SQUAD
MATCH SCHEDULE
Sunday 3 December: 1st CG United ODI at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua – 9:30am
Wednesday 6 December: 2nd CG United ODI at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua – 1:30pm
Saturday 9 December: 3rd CG United ODI at Kensington Oval, Barbados – 1:30pm
In a tremendous display of power-hitting. Kennar Lewis scored an unbeaten 46 as Northern Warriors inflicted a 10-wicket defeat over Team Abu Dhabi in the Abu Dhabi T10 on Thursday.
Chasing Team Abu Dhabi’s score of 103-7 from their 10 overs, Northern Warriors’ opening pair of Lewis and Hazratullah Zazai raced to 106-0 with six balls remaining to pull off their second victory in consecutive matches.
Lewis began as the more aggressive member of the opening pair but tapered off as Zazai, Power Hitter of the Match, took over. He hit three of his five fours and two of his three sixes while personally plundering 28 runs in the final three overs.
His power hitting propelled Northern Warriors from 69-0 at the end of the sixth over to victory, his personal tally being 52 not out from 27 balls.
Lewis also faced 27 balls for his 46 that included five fours and three two sixes.
Team Abu Dhabi’s total was built on an opening stand of 39 from 22 balls between Tom Banton and Alex Hales. However, once Banton was dismissed by Tabraiz Shamsi for a 17-ball 33, wickets fell regularly as the Northern Warriors bowling cut into the line-up.
Hales made 30 before he too was dismissed by Shamsi. Colin Ingram made 10 and Asif Khan run out for 19 to be the only other batter in double figures.
Shamsi was the best of the bowlers with 2-17.
The win means the Northern Warriors sit atop the eight-team table with four points from their two matches. Team Abu Dhabi are with a win from their two games and sit seventh on the table.
Lancashire have secured the services of Australia bowler Nathan Lyon for the duration of the 2024 season.
Lyon will spend the whole of next summer at Emirates Old Trafford in what will be his second LV = Insurance County Championship stint.
Off-spinner Lyon, who has claimed 496 Test wickets, played for Worcestershire in 2017 and helped them to promotion from Division Two.
“This is an exciting opportunity for me and I am really looking forward to heading over to England for a full season of county cricket with Lancashire,” Lyon said.
“I love playing cricket in England. I’m keen to keep learning, keep improving my game and hopefully I can contribute to winning matches for the Red Rose and pass on some of the experiences that I have gained over the years throughout my career.
“They have a strong squad at Lancashire and Emirates Old Trafford is a really great venue to play cricket at, so I am looking forward to that. It will also be great to catch up with Jimmy Anderson too.”
Lyon played twice in the drawn Ashes series in England earlier this summer before he suffered a calf injury at Lord’s, which sidelined the off-spinner until October.
Prior to that injury, Lyon had made 100 consecutive Test appearances for Australia and he has taken the third-most wickets for his country behind Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.
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Lancashire, who are without a head coach following the departure of Glen Chapple in September, will have Lyon available for the start of the County Championship in April after his Test commitments with Australia are wrapped up in March following a two-match series in New Zealand.
Mark Chilton, Lancashire director of cricket performance, added: “Nathan is an extremely skilled and experienced operator and, once we heard that he was available for the duration of next summer, we jumped at the opportunity to add him to our squad for the 2024 season.
“His bowling record in both international and domestic cricket speaks for itself, and we believe that he will be an important player for us with the ball as we look to achieve our goals in all competitions.
“We have several young spin bowlers in our squad and for them to have the opportunity to learn from and play alongside somebody with almost 500 Test match wickets will be invaluable in their development and I am sure Nathan will play an equally significant role off the pitch as he will on it.”
A sub-par batting display by West Indies A allowed South Africa A to take a decent-looking advantage heading into the third day’s play, as they closed day two of the second four-day Test on 65 for one in their second inning at Buffalo Park on Wednesday.
By virtue of that, the South Africans, who held a 144-run first innings lead, are now 209 runs in front, a very good position from which they can impose their will on the contest, should the West Indies A bowlers fail to fire.
Tony de Zorzi 34, and Raynard van Tonder on 20, are the batsmen that will resume for South Africa A on Thursday.
Earlier, the South Africans led by Keegan Petersen (67), van Tonder (50) and de Zorzi (44), Posted 298 in their first innings, before restricting West Indies A to a meagre 154. Ruan de Swardt (42) and Khaya Zondo (35), also got in on the act for South Africa.
Scores: South Africa A 298 all out & 65-1; West Indies A 154 all out
Akeem Jordan (3-43), Shamar Joseph (3-57), Kevin Sinclair (2-53) and Jair McAllister (2-64) were the wicket takers for the West Indies.
In their first innings, the Joshua da Silva-led Caribbean side, struggled to contend with the spin of right-arm off-break Dane Piedt, with only Zachary McCaskie (62) and Kavem Hodge (25), offering little resistance. In fact, Abhijai Mansingh and Jordan, who both made 14 runs, were the only other batsmen in double figures.
Piedt bagged 5-28, with support from Tshepo Moreki, who had 3-66.
South Africa in their second innings, lost captain Neil Brand cheaply for four, before de Zorzi and van Tonder repaired the damage.
John Turner is bidding to push his case for a spot in England’s T20 World Cup title defence during the upcoming tour of the Caribbean.
Turner made his T20 bow less than six months ago but flourished for Hampshire in the Vitality Blast with 21 wickets in 11 matches, leading to a maiden England call-up towards the end of the summer.
A side strain delayed his debut but England remain keen on the 22-year-old and named him in both white-ball squads to face the West Indies, who will co-host the 2024 T20 World Cup alongside the United States.
His selection next summer would be a surprise given those ahead of him in the pecking order, but a woeful 50-over World Cup means England’s established players cannot take their places for granted.
Having been fast-tracked into the England set-up, though, Turner – born and raised in Johannesburg – is trying to take everything in his stride ahead of a potentially pivotal next few weeks in his career.
“All I can do is give my best performances and make life hard for the selectors when it comes to the time for the World Cup – but it definitely does give me some focus,” Turner told the PA news agency.
“Naturally after a World Cup, there will be some form of change – some years more than others. There’s quite an exciting crop of players coming through. It’s quite an exciting time for English cricket.
“Obviously the World Cup was massively disappointing for everyone but, with disappointment, it opens the door for new opportunities and new ways for things to be done.”
Turner, who qualifies for England through a Zambian mother born to English parents, is looking to be a point of difference among fast bowlers with Jofra Archer and Mark Wood absent in the Caribbean.
He describes his pace as his biggest asset even though his action by one former coach was likened to Glenn McGrath, whose precision control of line and length made him one of all-time great fast bowlers.
“It’s obviously an unbelievable comparison to have,” Turner said. “If I was half the bowler he was, I think I’m doing very well.
“I’m not necessarily a traditional English bowler that’s going to try to swing it away and nick you off, I’m just going to try and hit a hard length, be consistent there and bowl as fast as I can.
“I’ve got some variations. During the season, I didn’t necessarily go to them as much as I would have thought, but I’ve got some things to go to when I’m under the pump.
“So far the ride for me has been really positive. It could go horribly wrong but having the backing of everyone and particularly England at the moment gives me massive confidence.”
Turner grew up idolising South Africa great Dale Steyn and sees a bit of the fiery former quick in himself.
“The way he bowled with the aggression, the pace, the ability and everything… he wore his heart on his sleeve and that’s something I probably do, to a certain degree,” Turner said.
Turner has spent the past couple of weeks on an England Lions winter training camp in Abu Dhabi but could make his international bow as part of a new-look ODI side in Antigua on Sunday.
“It would be really emotional and a massive day for me,” Turner added, when asked about the prospect of a first England appearance on this trip.
“Growing up, you’re always wanting to play international cricket and on the biggest stage in the world – that’s what this is. Hopefully just the start of quite a long journey.”
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