West Indies tour match against South Africa Invitational XI ends in draw

The three-day tour match between the West Indies and a South Africa Invitational XI ended in a draw at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Thursday.

The tourists began their second innings facing a deficit of 34 after dismissing the South Africans for 317 to close out day two.

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite, who made 23 in the first innings, didn’t bat this time around as Raymon Reifer joined Tagenarine Chanderpaul at the top of the innings.

Chanderpaul reached a run-a-ball 12 before he was dismissed by Thando Ntini with the score on 13.

Three runs later, Devon Thomas was dismissed by Corbin Bosch for one. Reifer followed not long after for three as the Windies found themselves 18-3 in the eighth over.

Kyle Mayers and Jermaine Blackwood came together and orchestrated a recovery before Mayers went for a whirlwind 38 off just 24 balls with the score on 71 in the 15^th over.

Blackwood was then joined by first innings half-centurion Joshua Da Silva and the pair put on a further 62 for the fifth wicket.

That fifth wicket came when Blackwood was dismissed by Irvin Modimokoane for 39 in the 31^st over.

In the end, Da Silva followed up his first innings fifty with 44, while Jason Holder, who also got a first innings fifty, made 32 and Kemar Roach made 29* as the West Indies reached 208-8 off 49 overs before the match was declared a draw.

The West Indies will now turn their attention to the first Test against South Africa which bowls off on February 28. (Sportsmax)