'It brings West Indians together': locals bring noise to Test warm-up

Fans in south-east London get a glimpse of players who may face England next week

- Emma John

A cover drive from West Indies' Alick Athanaze pierces the gap between the boundary boards and a young boy fields the ball just behind them.

He throws it back to the field, and his friends surround him with hugs and cheers as if he's just taken a matchwinning catch. There may not have been a lot of sunshine here yesterday, but there was plenty of warmth.

West Indies' first and only warm-up match of their England tour attracted a delighted crowd, and their batters certainly seemed to enjoy the atmosphere, posting 339 against a First Class Counties Select XI, who reached the close 15 without loss in reply. In these days of strangulated scheduling, this three-day game represents vital batting practice for the tourists before the opening Test against England at Lord's next Wednesday.

While the captain, Kraigg Brathwaite, missed out - he lasted just eight balls before edging Josh Turner behind for four - there were runs for Athanaze, Kirk McKenzie, and a century for Kavem Hodge who scored 112 off 128 balls before top-edging a short ball.

Mikyle Louis, meanwhile, may well have played his way into the vacant opening spot opposite Brathwaite thanks to a half-century off 63 balls. It included 16 off one of Josh Hull's overs - a four and two sixes and if Louis does make his debut at Lord's the 23-year-old will be the first Test player to come from St Kitts.