West Indies draw tour match ahead of 1st test vs Australia

(AP) — Raymon Reifer and Joshua Da Silva combined to help the West Indies eke out a draw in the pink-ball tour match against the Prime Minister’s XI at Manuka Oval on Saturday.

Chasing 309 for victory after the PM XI’s sporting declaration at 221-4 late on Friday, the Caribbean side played conservatively after the fall of the eighth wicket with eight overs to go, finishing on 277-8 in the four-day match.

Da Silva (52 not out) started aggressively but pulled back in the last hour, while Reifer remained unbeaten off 26 scoreless balls.

Not expected to bat due to a groin injury, Reifer did not even look to score, declining even the easiest singles hit to the outfield.

All results were possible when the West Indies entered the dinner break at 221-5, requiring 88 runs for victory off a minimum of 31 overs.

The last session started badly when Roston Chase (13) was out after just three balls, beaten in flight by Ashton Agar (2-41), miscuing and lofting a catch to Joel Paris at mid-off.

But Da Silva and Alzarri Joseph (31) combined for an enterprising 48-run seventh-wicket total to put the West Indies back into the match.

Tagenarine Chanderpaul, the son of 164-test West Indies legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul, was named player of the match for his fine double innings (119, 56). That should earn him a test debut against Australia in Perth starting next Wednesday.

The teams will play a second test — a day-nighter at Adelaide Oval — beginning Dec. 8.

Final scores in the match: Prime Minister’s XI 322 & 221-4 declared; West Indies 235 & 277-8.