ST JOHN’S – Led by another century from skipper Joshua Da Silva, T&T Red Force fought back valiantly and now hold the advantage against the West Indies Academy on day two of in the fourth round of the West Indies Championship in Antigua, onb Thursday.
Meanwhile, a historic batting collapse by the Jamaica Scorpions against the Guyana Harpy Eagles was the highlight of the second day’s play. The Scorpions were routed just 44 and will require nothing short of a miracle if they are to avoid defeat against the Harpy Eagles.
Elsewhere, the Barbados Pride are on top in their clash with the Combined Campuses and Colleges, while the Windward Islands Volcanoes are in the ascendancy against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes.
At Coolidge Cricket Ground: T&T has a slight advantage over the West Indies Academy. Da Silva scored 120 from 189 balls, his third century in as many matches, as the Red Force recovered to post 304 runs in their first innings.
Resuming on a shaky 129 for six, Da Silva was given good assistance by lower order batsmen Khary Pierre (42), Jayden Seales (29) and Bryan Charles, who made an unbeaten 23.
Pacer Johann Layne took 5-56, while Jediah Blades and Kelvin Pitman grabbed two wickets apiece.
In their turn at the crease, the West Indies Academy found themselves in a spot of bother at 103 for five, but an unbeaten 59-run partnership between Joshua Bishop (39 not out) and Carlon Bowen-Tuckett (38 not out), carried them to 167 for five at the end of play, still 142 runs behind.
At Sabina Park: Medium pacers Ronaldo Alimohamed and Nial Smith combined to bowl out the Jamaica Scorpions for 44 in their first innings, their lowest-ever first class total, as the Guyana Harpy Eagles seized control of their contest on the second day.
It left the home side trailing by a mammoth 295 runs, but the Harpy Eagles refused to enforce the follow on and ended the day on 68 for one to extend their lead to 363 runs heading into day three.
The Scorpions’ batting effort was nothing short of embarrassing, as not a single batter made it into double figures.
It beat their previous lowest score of 56, which they made against the Leeward Islands in 2017.
Alimohamed started the slide by dismissing Odain McCatty for a duck before Smith joined the party by snaring the wickets of Brandon King and Jermaine Blackwood, to leave them 14 for three.
Wickets fell steadily from thereon, and after the Scorpions crumbled to 32 for nine, Tamarie Redwood and Ojay Shields had their highest partnership of 12 to at least get them past 40.
Alimohamed ended with 6-17 while Smith took 4-21.
At Kensington Oval: Roston Chase struck his 11th first class century to put the Barbados Pride in a strong position against the Combined Campuses and Colleges.
Chase scored a brisk 122 from 123 balls to carry the Pride to 428, a first innings lead of 166 runs.
He received support from Kevin Wickham who made 95, while Jason Holder made 39, captain Kraigg Brathwaite added 38 and Jonathan Drakes contributed 30.
Kalvin Marcus led a balanced CCC attack, ending with 3-81. Akeem Jordan (2-74), Damion Joachim (2-81) and Chemar Holder (2-97), took two wickets apiece.
Needing a strong effort in the second innings to have any chance of victory, CCC got off the worst possible start when they lost Johann Jeremiah for a duck to the third ball of the innings.
They ended the day on two for one, still requiring another 164 runs to make the Pride bat again.
At Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium: The Windward Islands Volcanoes are in prime position to earn a healthy first innings lead over the Leeward Islands Hurricanes thanks to an impressive performance by Ryan John.
John scored his maiden first class century as the Volcanoes compiled 480 in their first innings.
Resuming the day on 71 with the Volcanoes on 364 for seven, John, who made 109 from 178 balls, added 102 runs with Kenneth Dember, who made an unbeaten 75, to ensure the Volcanoes got up to a formidable total.
Medium pacer Gilon Tyson and John then teamed up to restrict the Hurricanes to 165 for seven in their first innings, still 315 runs in arrears.
Opener Mikyle Louis has been the backbone of the Hurricanes’ total, scoring an unbeaten 82 from 147 balls and Jahmar Hamilton scored 40, but there was very little support coming from the other batters.
Tyson has so far taken 4-31 and John has snagged 3-26.
CMC
Summarised scores
At Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua: West Indies Academy trail T&T Red Force by 142 runs with five wickets remaining.
RED FORCE 304 in 89.4 overs (Joshua Da Silva 120, Khary Pierre 42, Jason Mohammed 32, Jayden Seales 29, Bryan Charles 23 not out, Amir Jangoo 22; Johann Layne 5-56, Jediah Blades 2-69, Levin Pitman 2-76).
WI ACADEMY 162-5 in 38 overs (Ackeem Auguste 49, Joshua Bishop 39 not out, Carlon Bowen-Tuckett 38 not out, Jordan Johnson 12; Anderson Phillip 2-25).
At Kensington Oval in Barbados: Combined Campuses and Colleges trail Barbados Pride by 164 runs with nine wickets remaining.
CCC 262 & 2-1 in three overs.
PRIDE 428 in 90.4 overs (Roston Chase 122, Kevin Wickham 95, Jason Holder 39, Kraigg Brathwaite 38, Jonathan Drakes 30, Zachary McCaskie 20, Jomel Warrican 18, Ramon Simmonds 15 not out, Leniko Boucher 10; Kalvin Marcus 3-81, Akeem Jordan 2-74, Damion Joachim 2-81, Chemar Holder 2-97).
At Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia: Leeward Islands Hurricanes trail Windward Islands Volcanoes by 315 runs with three wickets remaining.
VOLCANOES 480 in 116.3 overs (Shadrack Descarte 119, Ryan John 109, Kenneth Dember 75 not out, Sunil Ambris 35, Gian Benjamin 30, Stephan Pascal 25, Alick Athanaze 13; Oshane Thomas 4-66, Justin Greaves 3-102).
HURRICANES 165-7 in 44 overs (Mikyle Louis 82 not out, Jahmar Hamilton 40; Gilon Tyson 4-31, Ryan John 3-26).
At Sabina Park in Jamaica: Guyana Harpy Eagles lead Jamaica Scorpions by 363 runs with nine wickets remaining.
HARPY EAGLES 339 in 109.2 overs (Kevlon Anderson 116, Matthew Nandu 61, Kemol Savory 48, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 32, Gudakesh Motie 27, Tevin Imlach 16, Ronaldo Alimohamed 10; Odean Smith 5-68, Marquino Mindley 2-36, Tamarie Redwood 2-109) & 68-1 in 30 overs (Tagenarine Chanderpaul 37 not out, Tevin Imlach 19 not out).
SCORPIONS 44 in 25.5 overs (Ronaldo Alimohamed 6-17, Nial Smith 4-21).
CMC