LUCKNOW: Rahkeem Cornwall, the heaviest man in Test cricket, took seven wickets as West Indies skittled out Afghanistan for 187 on the opening day of their one-off match here on Wednesday.

West Indies reached 68-2 at the end of the day, further boosting captain Jason Holder’s decision to send Afghanistan in to bat at their ‘home’ ground in the Indian city of Lucknow which was engulfed in dangerous levels of air pollution.

The 26-year-old Cornwall, who hits about 140 kilograms (308 pounds) on the scales and is 1.96 metres (six feet five inches) tall, packed a heavyweight punch with his off-spin.

“I was just looking to put the ball in the right areas. Just try to stay as balanced as possible,” Cornwall said at the end of the day in which his figueres seven for 75 haul were the best for a West Indies spinner in nearly five decades.

Afghanistan batsmen had early success against seamer Kemar Roach, who didnt hit the right lengths in hazy conditions.

Opener Ibrahim Zadran was the first to fall with the score on 28, caught by Holder for 17 at leg slip attempting a sweep off Cornwall.

Javed Ahmadi made 39, including a six and five fours, before he was caught by Shamarh Brooks at deep long-off from a Jomel Warrican delivery with the score on 84.

Ihsanullah became Cornwall’s second victim when he edged a forward prod to Shai Hope at slip to be out for 24 just before lunch.

Afghanistan struggled to generate momentum after the break, with Cornwall claiming three more victims as Rahmat Shah and Asghar Afghan managed just four runs and Nasir Jamal two.

Afsar Zazai fared better, reaching 32 before Cornwall grabbed his sixth wicket in the last ball before tea and his seventh when Yamin Ahmadzai fell for 18.

Afghanistan’s spinners struck early when spinners Amir Hamza and skipper Rashid Khan picked up Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope, before John Campbell and Shamarh Brooks steadied the ship.

Out-of-form opener Brath­waite (11) fell lbw to Amir and Hope (7) got a thick edge to slip off leg-spinner Rashid’s sharp delivery as spinners took 10 of the 12 wickets on the first day.

Afghanistan, who were awarded Test status in 2017, picked two debutants in their starting eleven — middle-order batsman Nasir Jamal and left-arm spinner Amir Hamza.

Afghanistan are chasing a rare record by becoming the first nation to have won three of their first four Test matches.

They lost against India inside two days in their inaugural Test, but then went on to beat Ireland and Bangladesh in the next two Tests.

Scoreboard

AFGHANISTAN (1st Innings):

Ibrahim Zadran c Holder b Cornwall 17

Javed Ahmadi c Brooks b Warrican 39

Ihsanullah c Hope b Cornwall 24

Rahmat Shah c Holder b Cornwall 4

Asghar Afghan c Dowrich b Cornwall 4

Nasir Jamal c Hope b Cornwall 2

Afsar Zazai lbw b Cornwall 32

Rashid Khan c Cornwall b Holder 1

Amir Hamza c Dowrich b Holder 34

Yamin Ahmadzai c Warrican b Cornwall 18

Zahir Khan not out 0

EXTRAS (B-7, LB-5) 12

TOTAL (all out, 68.3 overs) 187

FALL OF WKTS: 1-28, 2-84, 3-90, 4-91, 5-95, 6-98, 7-111, 8-165, 9-187.

BOWLING: Roach 8-1-33-0; Holder 17-10-22-2; Cornwall 25.3-5-75-7; Warrican 13-1-35-1; Chase 5-0-10-0.

WEST INDIES (1st Innings):

K.C. Brathwaite lbw b Amir 11

J.D. Campbell not out 30

S.D. Hope c Ihsanullah b Rashid 7

S.S.J. Brooks not out 19

EXTRAS (NB-1) 1

TOTAL (for two wkts, 22 overs) 68

FALL OF WKTS: 1-27, 2-34.

TO BAT: S.O. Hetmyer, R.L. Chase, S.O. Dowrich, J.O. Holder, R.R.K. Cornwall, K.A.J. Roach, J.A. Warrican.

BOWLING (to-date): Yamin Ahmadzai 4-1-9-0; Amir Hamza

8-1-25-1 (1nb); Rashid Khan

8-2-24-1; Zahir Khan 2-0-10-0.

UMPIRES: P.R. Reiffel (Australia) and N.N. Menon (India).

TV UMPIRE: Ahmed Shah Pakteen (Afghanistan).

MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2019