ST JOHN’S, Antigua – A sensational spell from little-known Trinidadian off-spinner Avinash Mahibirsingh for Combined Campuses & Colleges Marooners against defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles grabbed the headlines in the West Indies Championship on Thursday.
But he still had to share a bit of the spotlight with Leeward Islands Hurricanes left-arm spinner Daniel Doram, and Trinidad & Tobago Red Force off-spinner Bryan Charles, whose destructive spells put their sides in control on the second day of the seventh and final round of matches.
One day after celebrating his 23rd birthday, Mahibirsingh celebrated with eight for 51 from 17.4 overs, and Harpy Eagles were bowled out for 223 to gain a 23-run, first innings lead against the Marooners at Frank Worrell Field on the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies in Trinidad.
Harpy Eagles, one of four sides with a realistic chance of taking the Headley-Weekes Trophy, symbol of West Indies four-day, first-class supremacy, started the day on 114 for one, replying to the Marooners’ first innings total of 200, had no answer for Mahibirsingh.
Outside of a 52-run, fourth wicket stand between their captain Tevin Imlach and West Indies off-spinner Kevin Sinclair, there was little stability from the visitors’ batting after Mahibirsingh bowled Raymond Perez in the first over of the day for 62 – the Harpy Eagles opener adding only one to his overnight score.
Imlach made 55, Sinclair got 37, and Kevlon Anderson failed to add to his overnight 27 before he fell in third over of the day to Mahibirsingh.
Jamaican opener Odaine McCatty then hit 56 and discarded West Indies batsman Shamarh Brooks supported with 54 not out to anchor Marooners to 165 for seven in their second innings at the close for a lead of 142.
Doram bagged six for 34 from 16 overs, and leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr snared three for 21 from seven overs, and Hurricanes seized control of the all-Islands derby when they bowled out Windward Islands Volcanoes for 179 to gain a 121-run, first innings lead at Queen’s Park Oval in T&T.
Both teams are among the challengers for the title, but Doram and Walsh spurred Hurricanes into a superior position after the Volcanoes resumed from their overnight total of six for one and their batting imploded.
Johann Jeremiah led the way for the Volcanoes with 41, Barbadian all-rounder Shamar Springer scored 33, West Indies batsman Kavem Hodge got 29, and Stephan Pascal added 25.
The prolific Mikyle Louis, a century-maker in the Hurricanes first innings, then made 33 and fellow opener Kieran Powell scored 31 in an opening stand of 66 that enabled their side to reach 111 for two at the close.
Charles has so far taken six for 75 from 23.1 overs and left-arm spinner Khary Pierre grabbed two for 46, and hosts Jamaica Scorpions were on the ropes on 159 for nine, replying to the Red Force first innings total of 432, at Sabina Park.
West Indies left-handed batsman Kirk McKenzie showed signs of form with the top score so far of 57 for the Scorpions, and Jeavor Royal was not out on 33 – but no other batsman reached 20.
Earlier, Terrance Hinds, batting at eight, proved his batting credentials with 79 after Red Force continued from their overnight total of 308 for seven.
Hinds smashed seven fours and five sixes from 118 balls in 2-1/4 hours at the crease, and he completed a 91-run, eighth wicket stand with Pierre that frustrated the Scorpions.
Pierre made 43; Royal was the most successful Scorpions bowler with three for 113 from 37 overs, and pacer Ojay Shields and off-spinner Peat Salmon took two wickets apiece.
West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite was not out 49 and trying to lead a fight-back for Barbados Pride, the other title-contender, after they conceded a 90-run, first innings lead against the Cricket West Indies Academy at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.
Pride were 109 for three in their second innings at the close, after their bowlers, led by pacer Akeem Jordan, kept them in the contest.
Jordan ended with four for 76 from 16 overs, while fellow pacers Raymon Reifer, Jair McAllister, and Shaquille Cumberbatch took two apiece, and the Academy were dismissed for 243 in their first innings.
Resuming on 111 for our, the Academy got a top score of 76 from Ackeem Auguste, Carlon Tuckett-Bowen, son of former Leewards and West Indies all-rounder turned umpire Carl Tuckett, supported with 49, West Indies Under-19 pacers Johan Layne and McKenny Clarke, batting at nine and 10, made 38 and 30 respectively.
SCORES:
At Sabina Park (JAMAICA): Jamaica Scorpions trail T&T Red Force by 273 with one first innings wicket standing.
RED FORCE 432 all out (Joshua Da Silva 106, Terrance Hinds 79, Amir Jangoo 51, Kjorn Ottley 45, Khary Pierre 43, Navin Bidaisee 31; Jeavor Royal 3-113, Ojay Shields 2-61, Peat Salmon 2-83) vs SCORPIONS 159 for nine (Kirk McKenzie 57, Jeavor Royal 33 not out; Bryan Charles 23.1-4-75-6, Khary Pierre 2-46).
At Frank Worrell Field (T&T): Combined Campuses & Colleges Marooners lead Guyana Harpy Eagles by 142 with three second innings wickets standing.
MAROONERS 200 all out (Demario Richards 43, Romario Greaves 36, Avinash Mahabirsingh 23, Amari Goodridge 22, Jediah Blades 22 not out, Jarion Hoyte 21; Nial Smith 3-45, Veerasammy Permaul 3-51, Gudakesh Motie 2-40, Isai Thorne 2-45) and 165 for seven (Odaine McCatty 56, Shamarh Brooks 54 not out; Kevin Sinclair 2-29, Gudakesh Motie 2-42, Veerasammy Permaul 2-44) vs HARPY EAGLES 223 all out (Raymond Perez 62, Tevin Imlach 55, Kevin Sinclair 37, Kevlon Anderson 27; Avinash Mahabirsingh 17.4-2-51-8).
At the Coolidge Cricket Ground (Antigua): Barbados Pride lead Cricket West Indies Academy by 21 with seven second innings wickets standing.
PRIDE 155 all out (Jonathan Drakes 35, Kevin Wickham 27, Shian Brathwaite 26, Demetrius Richards 21 not out; Johann Layne 3-23, McKenny Clarke 3-26, Joshua Bishop 2-25, Ramon Simmonds 2-43) and 109 for three (Kraigg Brathwaite 49 not out, Shian Brathwaite 21; Joshua Bishop 2-11) vs CWI ACADEMY 243 all out (Ackeem Auguste 76, Carlon Tuckett-Bowen 49, Johan Layne 38, McKenny Clarke 30; Akeem Jordan 4-76, Raymon Reifer 2-32, Jair McAllister 2-40, Shaquille Cumberbatch 2-75).
At Queen’s Park Oval (T&T): Leeward Islands Hurricanes lead Windward Islands Volcanoes by 232 with eight second innings wickets standing.
HURRICANES 300 all out (Mikyle Louis 100, Jewel Andrew 68, Jeremiah Louis 43, Jahmar Hamilton 34; Ryan John 3-67, Gilon Tyson 2-33, Daren Cyrus 2-70) and 111 for two (Mikyle Louis 33, Kieran Powell 31) vs VOLCANOES 179 all out (Johann Jeremiah 41, Shamar Springer 33, Kavem Hodge 29, Stephan Pascal 25; Daniel Doram 16-5-34-6, Hayden Walsh Jr 3-21).
