Chanderpaul BLOEMFONTEIN, CMC:
MIDDLE-ORDER batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul struck an attacking 97 and pacer Corey Collymore grabbed three wickets to lead the West Indies to a 41-run victory over South African club side Free State in their World Cup warm-up match at the Mangaung Outdoor Centre yesterday.
The West Indies, sent to bat, gathered 267 for eight off their 50 overs, and Free State replied with 226 for eight off 50 overs.
"Generally, we are quite pleased with the team's effort today," West Indies manager Ricky Skerritt told CMC Sport yesterday evening.
Chanderpaul, Brian Lara (45) and Chris Gayle (44) led the West Indies batting, before Collymore's haul of three for 20 off six overs, helped stifle Free State's run chase.
Gayle and Wavell Hinds posted a 45-run opening stand that ended when pacer Victor Mpitsang, who has played two one-day internationals for South Africa, dislodged Hinds for 15.
Gayle struck five fours and one six before falling six short of a half-century.
Lara, who has not played international cricket since falling ill at the Champions Trophy last September, faced 63 balls and hit four boundaries in his near half-century effort.
After a watchful start, Lara appeared poised to dominate the bowling, but was given out to a questionable leg before wicket decision as he attempted to sweep the off-spinner Kosie Venter.
The steady Chanderpaul kept the innings together in a better than run-a-ball rate, spanking 13 boundaries in an 88-ball knock, and was denied a worthy century when the innings closed with him three short of the mark.
The rest of the middle-order got quick but only small scores from captain Carl Hooper (15), Ramnaresh Sarwan (18), Ridley Jacobs (7) and Ricardo Powell (4).
Bowling for Free State, Mpitsang snared three for 33 off his 10 overs, while pacer Dewald Pretorius (2-52) and Venter (2-53) shared four wickets.
Free State enjoyed a 126-run fifth-wicket stand between left-handed opener Johnathon Beukes (96) and McLaren (18), and number eight batsman Johannes van der Wath stroked an unbeaten 42, but the South Africans hardly threatened the West Indies total.
Off-spinner Powell also grabbed three wickets but conceded a hefty 67 runs off his 10 overs, and there was a wicket each for pacer Merv Dillon (1-14) and off-spinner Gayle (1-31).
"It was our first time out here and the guys went about the task with the kind of steadiness and mental discipline needed to do well here," Skerritt said.
The two-time World Cup champions played seven batsman plus wicket-keeper Jacobs, leaving bowling spots only for Dillon, McLean, and Collymore.
The West Indies, scheduled to face Griqualand West in another warm-up game on Wednesday in Kimberley, will contest Pool B of the World Cup alongside New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Kenya, Canada and South Africa, who they open against on Sunday.
The South Africans had a disappointing tune up on Saturday when they crashed to 155 all out and lost by seven wickets to Western Province.
