Jason Holder’s inspired decision to field first was backed up by a superb bowling performance from off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall as the visitors claimed the opening day honours at Lucknow in their one-off Test against Afghanistan.
After being bowled out for 187, the hosts managed to prize out a couple of top-order wickets before the close of play.
Opener John Campbell and Shamarh Brooks were the unbeaten batsmen for the Windies as they finished at 68 for two.
Cornwall floors Afghanistan
#AFGvWI 🗣"I have to cherish this day. I will remember this day for the rest of my life and keep getting performances like this as the journey goes on" - Rahkeem 'Jimbo' Cornwall on his maiden 5 wicket haul pic.twitter.com/9E0CJncu1j
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) November 27, 2019
All three top-order batsmen – Ibrahim Zadran, Javed Ahmadi and Ihsanullah were guilty of playing flashy stroke play and fell before lunch after making starts.
Off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall bowled a marathon 21-over spell with metronomic accuracy on a pitch which offered little turn and bagged seven wickets.
He troubled the right-handers with his variations as some deliveries spun sharply from off-stump while the others went straight on as he attacked with a leg-slip and a slip.
Zadran and Rahmat Shah succumbed to catches off the inside edge while Ihsanullah and Asghar Afghan were caught behind on the off side while playing for the turn.
The burly all-rounder had claimed six wickets towards the end of the second session and Afghanistan were tottering at 98 for six.
Brief resistance from debutant Amir Hamza and Afzar Zazai helped Afghanistan add some valuable runs to their total before they were bowled out in the 69th over of the day.
Afghanistan have Hope before stumps
West Indies had to bat 22 overs in the final session of the day and predictably most of it was bowled by Afghanistan spinners with pacer Yamin Ahmadzai delivering just four overs.
Left-arm spinner Hamza struck first, with a quicker delivery that trapped Kraigg Brathwaite plumb in front of the stumps.
A couple of overs later, skipper Rashid Khan produced a peach of a delivery to dismiss Shai Hope. His leg-spinner bowled at pace squared up Hope to graze the outside edge before being snaffled at slip by Ihsanullah.
Opener John Campbell was aggressive against the spinners and struck three boundaries and a maximum during his unbeaten knock of 30.
Brooks who walked in at the fall of Hope, played for stumps successfully held the other end up till stumps was called.
Brief scores:
Afghanistan – 187 (Ahmadi 39, Hamza 34, Cornwall 7-75)
West Indies 68 for 2 (Campbell 30*, Brooks 19*, Rashid 1-24)
West Indies trail by 119 runs
