India A bowlers managed just one wicket in the post-lunch session as West Indies A reached 175 for three in their first innings at tea on the first day of the third unofficial Test here today.
Sent into bat, a dogged half century by Leon Johnson and his crucial partnerships with Narasingh Deonaraine and Assad Fudadin steered West Indies after a couple of early wickets.
Johnson and Fudadin were batting on 81 and 21, respectively after West Indies A lost Deonaraine (35) before tea.
Receiving wide praise over his 91 runs knock in Shimoga Test, Johnson was promoted to bat at number three and started his innings on a cautious note as West Indies were struggling at 53 for two.
After spending some time in the middle with Deonaraine, Johnson opened up dispatching Indian bowlers for boundaries, who were banging in short, giving enough room to the Guyanese batsmen to swing his bat.
Johnson, however, was uncomfortable to the balls pitched up as he survived a couple of loud shouts for caught behind and also a leg before off both Abhishek Nayar and Dhawal Kulkarni.
Johnson almost lost his wicket when he edged Kulkarni to Paras Dogra standing in the second slip, who dropped the catch which was flying over his right shoulder.
The chinks in his batting armour, however, did not push Johnson into a shell. The left-handed Guyanese batsman believed in his ability and played some beautiful shots to the delight of the close to 7,000 crowd assembled at the stadium. He reached his fifty in 106 balls with nine hits to the fence.
