MYSORE, India — West Indies A team batsman Assad Fudadin made a slow start but blossomed to make a solid half-century on the second day of the first unofficial four-day ‘Test’ match against India A on Thursday.

The left-hander started the day on four not out and was unbeaten on 86 when the Windies were bowled out for a well compiled 429. They enter the third day with the advantage as India reached 124-3.

Fudadin struggled to find the middle of the bat early on, but said he decided to keep it simple on a pitch at Gangothri Glades Cricket Ground which offered great assistance to the bowlers.

“This was my first knock in India. On the first day I was still getting used to the conditions and I not feeling ‘myself’. I had to ‘catch myself’ on the on the second day and get used to the conditions a bit better. On the first day wickets were falling so I did not want to take any chances. I had to play it smart,” he told WICB Media after Thursday’s play.

Overall Fudadin batted just for under five hours, faced 201 balls and hit 10 boundaries and a six. He added a crucial 88-run stand for the seventh wicket with Nikita Miller, who made 49. Miller returned later in the day with the excellent figures of 9-4-10-1.

“I was out of touch a bit but I told myself ‘there is never a bad time to make runs’… whenever you get runs it is good for yourself and for the team,” Fudadin added.

“The team target was to bat four sessions and we decided to bat time rather than runs. The pitch was deteriorating and creating ‘rough’ for the Indian spinners so I had to be watchful. We decided if we batted a long time we had a chance to look at bowling them out twice.

“Miller was brilliant today. He batted really well with me and offered a lot of support. He was excellent with the ball in the final session. The fast bowler [Miguel] Cummins was also good with the new ball. He didn’t have much to work with but he was consistent and ‘at’ the batsmen all the time.”

FULL SQUAD

Kirk Edwards (captain)

Kieran Powell (vice-captain)

Kraigg Brathwaite

Jonathan Carter

Fidel Edwards

Miguel Cummins

Narsingh Deonarine

Assad Fudadin

Jahmar Hamilton

Delorn Johnson

Leon Johnson

Nikita Miller

Ashley Nurse

Veerasammy Permaul

Chadwick Walton

 

Match schedule

September

Sun 15: 1st One-day match – India A won by 77 runs at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

Tue 17: 2nd One-day match – West Indies A won by 55 runs at Chinnaswamy Stadium

Thu 19: 3rd One-day match – West Indies A won by 45 runs at Chinnaswamy Stadium

Sat 21: Twenty20 match – India A won by 91 runs at Chinnaswamy Stadium

Wed 25-Sat 28: 1st “Test” – Gangotri Glades, Mysore

October

Wed 2-Sat 5: 2nd “Test” – JNNCE Ground, Shimoga

Wed 9-Sat 12: 3rd “Test” – KSCA Ground, Hubli