Volcanoes silenced in fourth round of West Indies Championships
The Windward Islands Volcanoes suffered their first defeat in the 2024 Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regional Four-Day Championships, by six wickets against hosts Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at the Queen’s Park Oval, St Clair.
All four matches went past the luncheon interval on the fourth day, for the first time this season.
Also in Trinidad, at the Sir Frank Worrell Ground in St Augustine, the Leeward Islands Hurricanes defeated Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) by three wickets, 2023 winners Guyana Harpy Eagles whipped Barbados Pride by 33 runs at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua and hosts Jamaica Scorpions eked out a two-wicket victory over the West Indies Academy at Sabina Park, Kingston.
Here is a look at the good, and the bad, for each of the performing teams in the fourth round (as far as individual displays are concerned) –
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO RED FORCE
Good: Tion Webster’s third First-Class century, and his first for the season, with an unbeaten 107 in the first innings. Jason Mohammed (56), Vikash Mohan (52) and the returning Kjorn Ottley (47) in the first innings, while Jyd Goolie (90) and captain Joshua DaSilva (53 not out) had a fourth-wicket partnership of 104 which ended in unfortunate circumstances when Goolie had to retire hurt with a muscle injury.
Fast bowlers Anderson Phillip (seven wickets for 102 runs) and Jayden Seales (five wickets for 93 runs), as well as left-arm spinner Khary Pierre (five wickets for 88 runs) each had good returns with the ball.
Bad: Pacer Terrance Hinds bowled seven overs in each innings, and only claimed one wicket. One wonders if a recall is on the cards for evergreen leg-spinner Imran Khan for the next game, at home to the Pride, at the Queen’s Park Oval.
WINDWARD ISLANDS VOLCANOES
Good: Captain Alick Athanaze (56) led the way with the bat in the first innings while former West Indies players Sunil Ambris (71) and Jeremy Solozano (70) had useful knocks in the second innings. Off-spinner Kenneth Dember (5/63) and pacer Shamar Springer (3/76) had good returns with the ball.
Bad: Promoted to open after Kimani Melius (who was the captain for the first round) was dropped, Johann Jeremiah was dismissed for 14 and 19 in his respective innings. Kavem Hodge also had a disappointing match, with 28 and duck in his two knocks. Pacers Shermon Lewis and Ryan John did not have the best of matches, with only three wickets between them.
LEEWARD ISLANDS HURRICANES
Good: Experienced opener Kieran Powell had a crucial 114 in the first innings, while another trio of West Indies players Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves (61 each) and captain Rahkeem Cornwall (42 not out) had vital roles in the Hurricanes’ successful run-chase.
Left-arm spinner Daniel Doram (4/37), off-spinner Cornwall (3/86) and pacer Jeremiah Louis (3/54) did the damage in the first innings, while Cornwall (4/62) and Louis (3/59) were the chief destroyers in the second innings.
Bad: On a tricky pitch which leaned more in favour of the slower bowlers, leg-spinner Hayden Walsh was only able to capture one wicket in the match, off 25 overs (less than Cornwall’s 30 in the second innings alone). Left-arm pacer Colin Archibald also had one wicket, and may find his place under threat with Oshane Thomas also in the Hurricanes’ 13-man squad. Mikyle Louis did not continue his good form in this match, as he made four and 13 in each innings.
COMBINED CAMPUSES AND COLLEGES
Good: In the first innings, Sadique Henry played a useful hand of 73 but an eighth-wicket stand of 129 between Amari Goodridge (75) and Romario Greaves (58) guided CCC to a total of 273. In the second innings, CCC posted 301 courtesy of a valiant 99 from Yannick Ottley, in his first match for the season.
Greaves, with his off-breaks, returned figures of 5/63 in the first innings while leg-spinner Zishan Motara had 2/14 in the first innings and 3/71 in the second. Left-arm pacer Jediah Blades had a good game with the ball, with respective hauls of 2/50 and 3/50.
Bad: Shamarh Brooks, elevated to the captaincy in the absence of another ex-WI player Jonathan Carter, continued his 2024 struggles with duck and six in his two knocks.
GUYANA HARPY EAGLES
Good: Impressive half-centuries from Veerasammy Permaul (90 not out), Kevlon Anderson (87), Kevin Sinclair (72) and skipper Tevin Imlach (55) and the Harpy Eagles compiled 436 in their first innings. Fast-medium pacer Nial Smith (3/54 and 4/87), and the left-arm spin twins of Gudakesh Motie (2/38 and 3/71) and Permaul (1/50 and 3/66) did not disappoint.
Bad: Tagenarine Chanderpaul is yet to fire during the domestic season, and his returns with the bat were 40 and 20. Fellow left-handed opener Matthew Nandu was even worse, with scores of 28 and one.
BARBADOS PRIDE
Good: Jonathan Drakes had his maiden First-Class century in the first innings (101) while ex-WI player Shane Dowrich contributed 41. In their second turn at the crease, opener Zachary McCaskie had his best score this season with 87, while Jason Holder struck 76 and Jomel Warrican (an unbeaten 40). The bowling line-up of Kemar Roach, Jair McAllister, Chemar Holder, Raymon Reifer, Jason Holder and Warrican were all among the wickets.
Bad: Shian Brathwaite, in the number three spot, had nought and four in his respective innings, while Reifer, in his first game of 2024, had 13 and 19 respectively.
JAMAICA SCORPIONS
Good: Brandon King, who replaced the struggling Jermaine Blackwood as captain, shone with the bat, as he produced scores of 77 in the first innings and 65 in the second. Kirk McKenzie, who was promoted to open in the absence of Chadwick Walton, had decent returns of 29 and 47 respectively. In the first innings, Pete Salmon (81) and Leroy Lugg (64) were also in the thick of things. Leg-spinner Abhijai Mansingh was the top bowler overall, with 2/69 and 4/70 in each innings.
Bad: Blackwood – duck and 27. His overall tally this season is 83 runs at 11.85.
WEST INDIES ACADEMY
Good: In his First-Class debut, Joshua Dorne had a useful hand of 83, while his WI Under-19 teammate Jordan Johnson made 61. Opener Kadeem Alleyne scored 52 in each innings while Carlon Bowen-Tuckett had 53 in the second innings.
Left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop continued his fine 2024 season, with 6/96 and 4/79 respectively.
Bad: Nyeem Young had a game to forget, with duck and 21 in his two innings, and, with his brisk medium pace, returned 0/63 off 11 overs in the first innings (he did not bowl in the Scorpions’ run chase).
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I tried to watch as much as I could of this round and I noticed a few things.
Thorne and Nial Smith are very fast, but hat spell they bowled at the end of the 2nd day was great, I didn’t expect Thorne to get as much lift as he was getting
It looks like Brandon is going to play the rest of the season, I’d say after this good start just score at least 1 100 and he should bat at 5 vs England, he looked like he had all the time in the world at the crease especially on a turning last day pitch.
Goolie, Sinclair, Kevlon Anderson, Brandon, and maybe Imlach are all putting their hands up for the no.5 spot. I’ll be satisfied with any of them getting the call.
I noticed it against Aus and it seems as though Tage has tweaked his technique, he’s got some big crouch in it now, I’m not sure if that’s what’s ailing him, he battled so hard against Barbados just to throw it away when batting got easier.
Bishop and Nedd are good bowlers but I think their numbers are a bit deceiving, they are bowling A LOT of overs between them and on some decently helpful pitches they’re going to pick up wickets, this is like in basketball where a decent player on a tanking team averaging 20+, case in point Kyle Kuzma on the Wizards this year.