DURHAM (England), June 4: Denesh Ramdin made his highest first-class score of 131 as West Indies settled for a draw on the third and final day of their tour match against MCC at the Racecourse Ground here on Sunday.

Wicket-keeper Ramdin's innings followed up Runako Morton's career-best 201 as West Indies piled up 534 for eight declared in reply to MCC's first innings 260, in what was the tourists lone practice match ahead of the third Test against England, starting at Old Trafford on Thursday.

West Indies then reduced MCC to 64 for five in their second innings, the largely student side effectively six down after captain Sanath Jayasuriya had left for an early flight back to Sri Lanka, when a draw was agreed with 15 overs remaining – time enough for the West Indies to force a win.

Ramdin faced 163 balls with three sixes and 16 fours in the run-up to the clash at Old Trafford where West Indies, 1-0 down after suffering a record innings defeat at Headingley, must avoid another loss to keep the series alive.

Scoreboard

MCC (1st Innings):

W.T.S. Porterfield lbw b Taylor 21

P.G. Dixey c Morton b Edwards 0

Z.K. Sharif b Taylor 8

L.J. Evans c Ramdin b Taylor 51

J.C. Morris c Ramdin b Taylor 30

S.T. Jayasuriya c Morton b Taylor 18

S.M. Butler b Sammy 12

S.H. Choudhry not out 54

M.A. Richards c sub b Edwards 26

R.M.R. Brathwaite c sub b Sammy 8

R.E.M. Williams c Sammy b Edwards 1

EXTRAS (B-9, LB-4, W-1, NB-17) 31

TOTAL (all out, 99.3 overs) 260

FALL OF WKTS: 1-12, 2-37, 3-42, 4-125, 5-149, 6-152, 7-188, 8-245, 9-259.

BOWLING: Powell 20-6-48-0 (1w); Edwards 20.3-4-66-3 (8nb); Rampaul 3-2-3-0; Taylor 18-8-43-5 (1nb); Sammy 28-6-66-2; Gayle 3.4-1-7-0; Ganga 1.2-0-2-0; Smith 5-0-12-0.

WEST INDIES (1st Innings):

D. Ganga c Dixey b Williams 47

D.S. Smith b Brathwaite 16

R.S. Morton lbw b Butler 201

S.C. Joseph c and b Morris 41

D. Ramdin c Dixey b Brathwaite 131

D.J.G. Sammy c Porterfield b Butler 18

J.E. Taylor st Dixey b Butler 35

D.B.L. Powell b Richards 18

F.H. Edwards not out 7

EXTRAS (B-10, LB-3, W-2, NB-5) 20

TOTAL (for eight decl, 129.1 overs) 534

FALL OF WKTS: 1-21, 2-182, 3-320, 4-320, 5-340, 6-450, 7-495, 8-534.

BOWLING: Brathwaite 21.4-3-97-2 (2nb); Williams 21-2-85-1 (1w); Butler 29.3-7-121-3 (1w); Richards 10-0-44-1 (2nb); Morris 16-3-77-1; Choudhry 12-0-43-0; Sharif 13-0-49-0 (1nb); Jayasuriya 6-3-5-0.

MCC (2nd Innings):

W.T.S. Porterfield c Ramdin b Powell 0

P.G. Dixey c Joseph b Sammy 17

Z.K. Sharif lbw b Taylor 7

L.J. Evans run out 12

J.C. Morris c Ganga b Sammy 5

S.M. Butler not out 3

S.H. Choudhry not out 7

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-3, NB-5) 13

TOTAL (for five wkts, 24 overs) 64

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-22, 3-47, 4-48, 5-54.

BOWLING: Powell 6-3-6-1; Edwards 7-0-20-0 (4nb); Taylor 4-2-12-1; Sammy 6-1-14-2 (1nb); Ganga 1-0-4-0.

RESULT: Match drawn.

UMPIRES: J.W. Holder and D.J. Millns.

—Agencies

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