Windies batsmen, spinners star in three rounds of Four-Day Champs

Mar 08, 2024

WEST INDIES batsmen, of recent or current vintage, as well as spinners were the major highlights after three rounds of matches in the 2024 Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regional Four-Day Championships.

Looking at the points table, the Windward Islands Volcanoes sit at the top of the pile with 62.2 points, followed by the Leeward Islands Hurricanes (45.6), Barbados Pride (43.8), Jamaica Scorpions (29.6), Trinidad and Tobago Red Force (27.6), 2023 champs Guyana Harpy Eagles (26.4), West Indies Academy (24) and Combined Campuses and Colleges (14.6).

Here is a look at the good, and the bad, for each of the performing teams (as far as individual displays are concerned) –

WINDWARD ISLANDS VOLCANOES

Good: Consistency with both bat and ball.

With the bat, the Volcanoes have produced two centuries and seven half-centuries in three matches. Kavem Hodge (158 not out) and Sunil Ambris (120) scored centuries against Combined Campuses and Colleges, while captain Alick Athanaze, Kimani Melius (who stood in when Athanaze was on West Indies duties in Australia), Ambris, Jeremy Solozano, Johann Jeremiah, Shamar Springer and Ryan John each notched a half-century during this tournament.

Ambris (237 runs) and Solozano (215) are both looking to show the West Indies selectors that they are worthy of either Test team recalls or consideration for the WI ‘A’ team during the 2024 home series against South Africa. Hodge, who missed the first round due to WI duty, has tallied 184 runs in two games, while Jeremiah (153), Melius (125) and Springer (103) are the other batsmen who have surpassed 100 runs thus far.

John, a fast-medium pacer, and Springer, an honest trier with his brisk medium pace, have been the main wicket-takers for the Volcanoes with 15 and 14 scalps respectively. Leg-spinner Darel Cyrus, who made his first-class debut this season, have snapped up 10 wickets in two games, including a career-best six wickets for 72 runs against the Combined Campuses and Colleges.

Bad: Shermon Lewis.

A veteran of two Tests and a One-Day International (the only front-line Volcanoes bowler with international experience), played the first game against the Scorpions, took one wicket and was dropped for the next two games.

LEEWARD ISLANDS HURRICANES

Good: New faces coming to the fore.

Mikyle Louis, in his debut first-class season, have utilised home conditions in St Kitts to great effect, scoring 343 runs from three games at an average of 57.16 with two centuries – 113 and 130 against the Harpy Eagles. Jewel Andrew, who was the WI first-choice wicketkeeper during the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa weeks earlier, played two matches as a batsman-only but compiled 152 runs at 38.0 with an impressive 87 against the Red Force.

Otherwise, Jahmar Hamilton, the first-choice gloveman, has amassed 210 runs at 35 with two half-centuries with the bat, and claimed nine dismissals (eight catches and a stumping).

Louis’ elder brother Jeremiah has been the leading wicket-taker for the Hurricanes with 17. Skipper Rahkeem Cornwall, vying for a Test recall, has 14 wickets to his belt with his off-breaks and lanky left-arm spinner Daniel Doram has 11.

Bad: Use of Hayden Walsh.

After a concerted effort, during the Phil Simmons-era, to guarantee consistency with his bowling in the white-ball format, Walsh played the first game in the ODI series in Australia and was left out for the following two matches. Upon his return to the West Indies, he was used against the Harpy Eagles, did not take a wicket and then left on the sidelines. Unless Walsh is given a run in the Hurricanes team, he may be left to ponder, at age 31, his future in the red-ball circuit.

BARBADOS PRIDE

Good: Form of Kevin Wickham and Jomel Warrican.

Wickham has been a steadying presence in the middle order with an aggregate of 313 runs at an average of 62.6 with a century (a career-best 139 against Combined Campuses and Colleges) and two half-centuries. Jonathan Drakes have also been among the runs, with 156, while veteran wicket-kepeer/batsman Shane Dowrich have compiled 142 and all-rounder Roshon Primus 107. Team and WI Test skipper Kraigg Brathwaite’s tally of 182 was due in part to his knock of 142 against the Scorpions.

Left-arm spinner Warrican has been head and shoulders among the rest, as far as the wicket-taking aspect is concerned. The former WI player have claimed 19 scalps, including two five-wicket hauls. Off-spinner Chaim Holder have given him good support, with 10 wickets.

Bad: Pace bowling ‘struggles’.

For a nation who have prided itself on a rich history on pace bowling, it has been the spin pair of Warrican and Chaim Holder who have been the dominant bowlers after three games. Shaquille Cumberbatch took six wickets in his debut game against the Scorpions, Jair McAllister, in his lone match (also versus the Scorpions) took four scalps, the same amount as swing bowler Akeem Jordan.

JAMAICA SCORPIONS

Good: Growth of Romaine Morris as a wicket-keeper/batsman.

The main high-point for the Scorpions has been the growth of Morris, as an integral member of his squad. In three games, he has scored 223 runs at 55.75 with two half-centuries, including a career-best 97 not out against the Pride. Behind the stumps, he has also been excellent, with 11 dismissals (10 catches and a stumping).

Off-spinner Pete Salmon and pacer Gordon Bryan have also been consistent for the Scorpions, with 14 and 10 wickets respectively.

Bad: Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner and Marquino Mindley.

The trio were all part of the West Indies Test team during the 2022 tour of Australia. Now one wonders if any, or all, of the three can regain loss form and push for an international recall.

The stats do not make for interesting reading. Blackwood (the Scorpions’ skipper) – 56 runs at 11.2, fellow middle-order batsman Bonner – 52 runs at 17.33 and fast bowler Mindley – three wickets at 33.3.

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO RED FORCE

Good: Middle-order batting of Jyd Goolie and Jason Mohammed.

Goolie is yet to play international cricket while Mohammed recently retired from the highest level of the game. Nonetheless both players have been the lynchpins of the team’s batting. Goolie, featuring in the number three position, has been impressive with 223 runs at 44.6 including 113 against the Academy. Mohammed has a total of 169 at 42.25, with a best of 100 against the Hurricanes.

Anderson Phillip, back after an injury-riddled 2023, has kept his name in the WI selectors’ thoughts with 13 wickets at 14.15. The spin-twins Khary Pierre and Bryan Charles are next with nine and eight respectively.

Bad: Opening batting and Jayden Seales.

The opening pair of Vikash Mohan and Cephas Cooper have been steady rather than spectacular for the Red Force, with Mohan compiling 119 at 29.75 and Cooper 80 at 16.0.

Seales, who missed the tour of Australia due to an injured shoulder, has only taken four wickets in his three matches.

GUYANA HARPY EAGLES

Good: Kevin Sinclair.

After making his Test debut in Australia in January, Kevin Sinclair showed little rust on his return to the Caribbean, with a career-best knock of 165 not out against the Academy. In three games, he compiled 241 runs at 80.33 and, with his off-spin, claimed eight wickets at 27.62.

Evergreen left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul leads the wicket-taking column with nine, while Sinclair and pacer Ronaldo Alimohamed has eight each.

Bad: Batting

In three matches – Kevlon Anderson 98 at 24.5, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 83 at 20.75, fellow left-handed opener Matthew Nandu 68 at 17.0 and debutant Raymond Perez 55 at 13.75.

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WEST INDIES ACADEMY

Good: Joshua Bishop and Ashmead Nedd.

Bishop has emerged as a potential Test spin-bowling all-rounder. With the bat, he has 163 runs at 40.75, while batting at either number six or seven. He has also gained 13 wickets at 26.69.

Fellow left-arm spinner Nedd has 17 scalps at 17.52 with a best of 6/78 against the Red Force.

Bad: Batting

Youth can be used as an excuse, but the returns have not been great with the bat for the Academy team. Besides Bishop, only Mbeki Joseph (143), Rashawn Worrell (115) and Joshua James (104) have crossed the 100-milestone this season.

COMBINED CAMPUSES AND COLLEGES

Good: Jonathan Carter

The ex-West Indies player, who has been entrusted as the team’s captain, has led with the bat with 320 runs at 64.0 with a century (135 not out versus the Scorpions) and two half-centuries.

Bad: Inconsistency with bat and ball.

Former WI batsman Shamarh Brooks has been the second leading run-scorer with 169, which clearly highlights the lack of input from the lesser-known batsmen. With the ball, spinners Zishan Motara (leg) and Romario Greaves (off) have gathered nine scalps apiece.

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