Fast bowler Shamar Joseph grabbed his maiden first-class five-wicket haul to bowl out Windward Islands Volcanoes and leave Guyana Harpy Eagles to leave the second-round West Indies Championship match in the balance going into the final day.
The 22-year-old in his second first-class match ended with 5-41, a spell which sent the hosts crashing to 168 all out in their second innings on the third day at the Grenada National Cricket Stadium. Experienced Fast bowler Ronsford Beaton supported with 3-35 to end the match with five wickets – following his 2-50 in the first innings.
Set a challenging 294 to win, Harpy Eagles navigated their way safely to the close, finishing on 35 without loss – requiring a further 259 when play resumes on Saturday at 10 am (9 am Jamaica).
Chandrapaul Hemraj retired on three with as many on the board but 19-year-old opener Matthew Nandu (18 not out) and Tevin Imlach (13 not out) combined to see off the Volcanoes’ bowlers.
Resuming on 48-2, Volcanoes lost wickets steadily and had to be propped up by two partnerships. Kavem Hodge failed to add to his overnight 13, falling to the day’s second delivery with one run added to the total, edging a beauty from Beaton to be taken at the wicket.
Ambris, unbeaten on 18 overnight, then combined with Justin Greaves – who struck two fours off 61 balls – to add an important 37 for the fourth wicket. Greaves’s wicket, taken behind off the seventh delivery after lunch from Joseph, led to a slide where four wickets went down for 28 runs – the enterprising Joseph accounting for every scalp.
Preston McSween (25) and Kenneth Dember (15) added a crucial 30 for the ninth wicket to lift their side from the danger of 129-8.
At Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, Keacy Carty missed out on a third first-class century as Trinidad and Tobago Red Force took control of their contest against Leeward Islands Hurricanes. Replying to the visitors’ 418-9 declared, Hurricanes finished the day on 243-7 with Carty stroking 95 and Rahkeem Cornwall on 33 not out.
Carty held together his side’s top order in an inning which required 205 balls and just over 5-½ hours, and included five fours and three sixes. He posted 47 for the second wicket with Montcin Hodge (23), 61 for the second wicket with Kofi James (23), 35 for the fourth wicket with captain Jahmar Hamilton (15) and a further 27 for the fifth wicket with Terrance Warde (21).
Cornwall then struck four and two sixes in a 68-ball inning, inspiring an important 43-run, unbroken eighth-wicket partnership with Hayden Walsh Jr (18 not out).
Earlier, Imran Khan endured his share of frustrations when he missed out on a second first-class hundred, dismissed for 92 after resuming the morning on 67 with Red Force on 368 for eight in their first innings. He e struck 11 fours off 139 deliveries in a shade over three hours, stretching his ninth wicket stand with Pierre (33 not out) to 65 before holing out to deep mid-wicket off left-arm seamer Colin Archibald (3-111).