A cover drive from West Indies’ Alick Athanaze pierces the gap between the boundary boards and a young boy fields the ball just behind them. He throws it back to the field, and his friends surround him with hugs and cheers as if he’s just taken a match-winning catch. There may not have been a lot of sunshine at Beckenham County Cricket Ground, but there was plenty of warmth.
West Indies’ first and only warm- up match of their England tour attracted a delighted crowd, and their batters certainly seemed to enjoy the atmosphere, posting 339 against a First Class Counties Select XI, who reached the close 15 without loss in reply. In these days of strangulated scheduling, this three-day game represents vital batting practice for the tourists before the opening Test against England at Lord’s next Wednesday.
