ST JOHN'S, Antigua �
Set 267 for victory at Coolidge Cricket Ground, Red Force seemed to be strolling towards a straightforward win at 217 for three in the 41st over.
However, medium pacer Kyle Mayers intervened to snatch three quick wickets and engineer a slide which saw four wickets tumble for 28 runs in the space of 26 deliveries, and leave Red Force nervously placed at 245 for seven.
But all-rounder Imran Khan, with a cameo 30 from 23 balls, held his nerve well along with Roshon Primus, who scored a run-a-ball 10 not out, to see Red Force over the line with two overs remaining.
Mohammed top-scored with 80 from 105 balls while left-hander Lewis dazzled with 64 off a mere 31 deliveries. Opener Kyle Hope made 36 and captain Denesh Ramdin, 33.
Barbadian Mayers finished with three for 59 while captain and off-spinner Liam Sebastien picked up two for 31.
Sunil Ambris and former West Indies captain, Darren Sammy, had earlier entertained with dashing half-centuries, to help Volcanoes up to 266 for seven off their 50 overs after being sent in.
Ambris hit 69 from 88 deliveries while Sammy's cavalier unbeaten 60 needed just 36 balls. Andre Fletcher offered support with 35 and Delorn Johnson, an audacious 16-ball, unbeaten 26.
Rampaul shineswith four wickets
Out-of-favour West Indies pacer Ravi Rampaul shone with four for 43 while current Windies spearhead Shannon Gabriel claimed two for 53.
Volcanoes were rattled early on when Rampaul struck twice to reduce them to 18 for three in the eighth over. Gabriel struck first when he had left-hander Devon Smith caught at slip for six at nine for one in the fifth over and Rampaul then bowled Johnson Charles for three and had Tyrone Theophile caught at the wicket for six, in successive overs.
Ambris led the fightback by spearheading three key partnerships before Sammy arrived to do the damage at the end.
When Ambris played back to seamer Rayad Emrit and was bowled in the 40th over, Sammy entered to take charge � adding 50 off 35 balls for the seventh wicket with Mayers and a whirlwind 66 off 29 deliveries with Johnson in an unbroken eighth wicket partnership.
While Sammy belted four fours and five sixes, Johnson thrice cleared the ropes, in an entertaining stand that climaxed the innings nicely.
Red Force responded strongly, mainly through Lewis who slammed nine fours and three sixes to inspire an opening partnership of 94 with Hope.
He was in full flight when he holed out to long-off off left-arm spinner Hodge and his dismissal triggered a slide where three wickets fell for 31 runs to leave Red Force on 125 for three in the 22nd over. However, Mohammed and Ramdin combined in a 92-run fourth wicket stand which seemed to put Red Force in the driver's seat.
Mohammed hit seven fours and a six while Ramdin counted three fours in his 45-ball knock. The tide swung again when Mayers ran Ramdin out with a direct hit from mid-off off the first ball of the 41st over and three balls later, seamer Mervin Matthew bowled Nicholas Alexis without scoring.
Mayers injected more excitement into the contest when he removed both Mohammed and Emrit (0) to catches at the wicket in the space of four deliveries in the 45th over but Imran Khan and Primus kept their wits to deny Volcanoes. (CMC)