Parchment shines for Young Windies LEICESTER, England, CANA CAPTAIN Brenton Parchment and vice-captain Devon Smith completed half-centuries, but there was little substance from the rest of the Young West Indies batting against Young England in their opening youth cricket "Test" yesterday. Parchment has so far hit the top score of 62 and Smith, who has been in a rich vein of form, cracked 54 in an opening stand of 107 that formed the basis of Young Windies' 188 for five when stumps were drawn on a rain-marred opening day. Narsingh Deonarine was unbeaten on 13 and Omari Banks was not out on nought at the close. Sent in to bat, Young Windies benefitted from a sound opening stand from their captain and vice-captain, but the rest of the batting failed to live up to expectations on a hard, true Grace Road pitch. Parchment, a struggler during the first two weeks of the England visit, regained some of his touch by striking 10 fours and one six in his 97-ball innings that lasted just over two hours. All but 10 of left-hander Smith's runs were in boundaries from a 48-ball knock that spanned just over an hour. His confidence seemed to lift the captain and the two set upon Young England's bowlers after rain washed away the morning period. Smith was caught in the deep off finger-spinner James Tredwell however, and that precipitated some instability in the Young Windies batting. Apart from a second-wicket stand of 30 between Parchment and Patrick Browne, there were no other partnerships of note. Parchment was adjudged lbw to left-arm fast-medium bowler Justin Bishop before Browne was bowled by medium-paced bowler Gordon Muchall for 25 to leave Young Windies 151 for three. When Tonito Willett, son of former West Indies spin bowler Elquemedo Willett, was caught off fast-medium bowler Andrew McGarry for 12, and Vishal Arjune was caught by opposing captain Nicky Peng off fast-medium bowler James Anderson for seven, the visitors were 182 for five.
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