BENONI, South Africa (CMC) – Openers Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Zachary McCaskie batted through a testy 35 minutes before the close, and West Indies A got off to a solid start in the first “Test” against hosts South Africa A on Tuesday.

Chanderpaul was not out on 27 and McCaskie was not out on 17, and the Caribbean side were 46 without loss, replying to the South Africa A first innings total of 287 for nine declared, at stumps on the first day of the match at Willowmoore Park.

Senior Test fast bowler Jayden Seales bowled impressively to end with three for 23 from 15.5 overs, and fellow pacer Akeem Jordan supported with three for 61 from 18 overs to lead the bowling for the visitors after the South Africans won the toss and chose to bat.

West Indies A defied three half-centuries from Keegan Petersen, whose 59 was the top score, fellow senior Test batsman Tony De Zorzi, who made 55, and the uncapped Clyde Fortuin, who gathered 53, before the home team declared about 50 minutes before the close.

Chanderpaul and McCaskie then mixed periods of sound defence with moments of flourish to spank nine boundaries between them and bring a bright close to a day that started a bit tough for Joshua Da Silva’s side.

After pacer Shermon Lewis got South Africa A captain and opener Neil Brand in the first hour, Zubayr Hamza came to crease and put 62 for the second wicket with De Zorzi either side of South Africa A reaching 79 for one at lunch.

Seales broke the stand early after the interval when he got Hamza for 30 before the South Africans had passed 100, and off-spinner Kevin Sinclair got De Zorzi caught behind, and the home team stumbled to 125 for three.

The visitors’ attack came under assault when David Bedingham transported his rich vein of form for Western Province and English county side Durham into the match and scored 47 at close to a run-a-ball to dominate a fourth wicket stand of 74 with Petersen.

Sinclair, who finished with two for 64 from 18 overs, struck a little before tea to remove Bedingham, and the home team reached 205 for four at tea.

After the break, Jordan bowled Petersen to launch a productive period for West Indies A, when they claimed five wickets for 79 in a spell of 20 overs to force South Africa A into a strategic declaration in a bid of early wickets that never materialised.