ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Reigning champions Guyana Harpy Eagles completed an emphatic, record win while leaders Windward Islands Volcanoes also remained top of the standings with a dominant victory, on the final day of the third round of the West Indies Championship on Saturday.
West Indies left-hander Alick Athanaze.Playing at Coolidge Cricket Ground here, Harpy Eagles wasted little time in picking up the last four CWI Academy wickets cheaply, to storm to a 221-run win – the fifth largest margin of victory by runs for Harpy Eagles in the modern era of the championship.
For Harpy Eagles, it was also their first win of the campaign following a draw in their first game against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and a heavy 273-run defeat to Leeward Islands Hurricanes in their second game.
Resuming the morning on 161 for seven in pursuit of 429 for victory, CWI Academy were dismissed for 207 all out, with veteran left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul (2-48) claiming two of the three wickets to fall.
Carlon Bowen-Tuckett, unbeaten on 34 overnight, top-scored with 43 while Ashmead Nedd, on two at the start, struck a breezy 30 off 28 balls.
Together, they stretched their eighth wicket stand to 32 before the final three wickets went down for 16 runs.
At Chedwin Park in Jamaica, Volcanoes notched a third straight victory with an eight-wicket verdict over Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners, with Test left-hander Alick Athanaze carving out his 13th first class fifty.
Left-arm spinning all-rounder Kavem Hodge grabbed two of the last four wickets to fall to end with two for 48 as CCC, resuming from 271 for six, were bowled out for 315.
Romario Greaves, unbeaten on 62 at the start, added just one while Sion Hackett never added to his overnight 24.
Set 125 for victory, Volcanoes cruised to their target with the 25-year-old Athanaze finishing unbeaten on a cavalier 58 not out off 42 balls.
He struck half-dozen fours and three sixes at number four, posting 83 in an unbroken third wicket stand with Trinidadian left-hander Jeremy Solozano who struck an unbeaten 42 off 61 balls with half-dozen fours.
Solozano put on 37 for the first wicket with Kimani Melius (20) before off-spinner Romario Greaves struck twice to end with two for 64.
At Sabina Park in Jamaica’s capital Kingston, Barbados Pride marched to their second win of the competition with a six-wicket victory over hosts Jamaica Scorpions.
Chasing 173, Pride reached their target courtesy of 43 from Roshon Primus, 29 from Kevin Wickham and 25 from Shayne Moseley, off-spinner Peat Salmon claiming three for 69.
Salmon struck twice early to leave Pride stumbling on 52 for three but Moseley posted 45 for the fourth wicket with Wickham before adding a further 44 for the fifth wicket with Primus, who slammed seven fours in a robust 34-ball knock, as Pride recovered well.
Scorpions had been earlier dismissed for 292 after resuming on 220 for eight, with pacer Shaquille Cumberbatch finishing with five for 46.
Number nine Derval Green resisted with 48 not out off 78 deliveries with seven fours and a six, putting on 40 for the ninth wicket with Gordon Bryan (26) and 37 for the last wicket with Ojay Shields (4).
At Warner Park in Basseterre, St Kitts, Hurricanes too helped themselves to their second win of the campaign when they beat Red Force by four wickets.
Set 162 for victory after bowling Red Force out in their second innings for 342, Hurricanes got a top score of 53 from West Indies white-ball stroke-maker Keacy Carty while 17-year-old Jewel Andrew missed out on his second fifty of the game with 48.
With the hosts in trouble at 26 for two, Carty put on 45 for the third wicket with Jahmar Hamilton who made 29 from 38 balls, and a further 70 with Andrew for the fourth wicket, to put Hurricanes in touching distance of victory.
While Carty faced 136 deliveries and struck half-dozen fours, the Under-19 World Cup star Andrew belted three fours and two sixes in an entertaining 53-ball knock.
Left-arm spinner Khary Pierre claimed four for 69.
Resuming earlier from 285 for six, Red Force were undermined by left-arm spinner Daniel Doram (3-80) who snatched three of the last four wickets to tumble.
