Reifer leads from the front in convincing win

West Indians 345 (Reifer 79, Walton 69, Mazibuko 5-54) beat North West 242 for 9 (Jonker 51, Sammy 3-33) by 103 runs
Scorecard

Captain Floyd Reifer scored a half-century and wicketkeeper Chadwick Walton smashed his second successive fifty, as the West Indians easily beat North West in Potchefstroom. Playing their second warm-up match ahead of the Champions Trophy, the West Indians scored 345, their second 300-plus total in three days.

In response, North West could only reach 242 for 9 with fast bowler Darren Sammy snaring 3 for 33, and Royston Crandon and Gavin Tonge picking up two wickets apiece.

After they were asked to bat, the West Indians were led by Reifer who top-scored with 79 from 76 balls while Walton cracked 69 from 56, following up from a similar score in the opening game against Cape Cobras on Saturday.

The West Indians though, were in early trouble when they lost opener Kieran Powell for a duck but his partner Andre Fletcher and Travis Dowlin compiled contrasting fifties to prop them up with a 97-run second-wicket stand. While the attacking Fletcher hammered a near-run-a-ball 52 comprising seven fours and two sixes, Dowlin was cautious during his 73-ball 57, which included seven fours.

Having lost three wickets to slide to 140 for 4, Reifer and Walton then revived the innings, with a fifth-wicket stand of 131 from 99 balls. Reifer smashed six fours and four sixes while Walton carved four boundaries and three sixes. Vice-captain Sammy bolstered the lower order with 44, hitting five sixes and a four, and the West Indians ended their innings with momentum. Vusumuzi Mazibuko provided the only consolation for North West with a clinical five-for.

North West got off to a good start with Andrea Agathageloy (29) and Jimmy Kgamadi (44) adding 70 for the first wicket but a clatter of wickets left them on 150 for 5 - a position from which they never recovered. Only Christiaan Jonker, who managed a fighting 51, and Brett Pelser (43) showed any resistance as the trio of Sammy, Crandon and Tonge tore through the North West's innings.

The West Indians have two more warm-up matches - against South Africa on Friday at Senwes Park, and Sri Lanka, two days later, at the LC de Villiers Oval in Pretoria - before they open their Champions Trophy campaign against Pakistan on September 23.