Last-wicket pair rallies Volcanoes to 277-9 against Harpy Eagles
- Motie, Paul and Permaul grab three wickets each
SUMMARY: Windward Islands Volcanoes 277-9 (Alick Athanaze 68, Devon Smith 52, Preston McSween 47*, Keron Cottoy 34; Gudakesh Motie 3-61, Keemo Paul 3-64, Veerasammy Permaul 3-75) v Guyana Harpy Eagles
Half-centuries from Alick Athanaze and Devon Smith, along with an entertaining 47 not out from Preston McSween drove Windward Volcanoes to 277-9 on the opening day of their Regional Four-Day match against Guyana Harpy Eagles at the Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad.
Eagles would be ruing the unbeaten last-wicket partnership of 62 between McSween and Shermon Lewis, but they are still in the intriguing contest, compliments of a team effort with the ball.
Spinners Gudakesh Motie (3-61) and Veerasammy Permaul (3-5) have taken a combined six wickets, while Keemo Paul, who seemed to be troubled by a suspected calf niggle, has taken 3-64.
Volcanoes were on the back foot early when opener Kimani Melius had to be taken off before he had score due to a blow to the helmet from Clinton Pestano in the seventh over.
The 40-year-old Smith, after a shaky start, grew in stature with some lusty blows off Permaul, and reached his 64th First-Class half-century, just before Paul brought about his demise on 52 (9x4s).
Smith and Athanaze produced a proactive partnership of 49 and the latter, a former West Indies Under-19, looked in sweet touch, good enough for a triple-figure score.
However, after the 23-year-old got his fourth half-century, he brought his own undoing trying a reverse sweep off of Permaul to be adjudged leg-before for 68 (5x4s).
Smith and Keron Cottoy had added 63 for the third wicket, and his dismissal was followed by Paul trapping Denis Smith next ball.
From 190-4, Volcanoes slipped to 195-6 when Motie bowled Mileus for three after he resumed his innings.
With the fall of the ninth wicket at 215 in the 73rd over, Eagles would have been preparing for a bat, but McSween led a classical cat and mouse last-wicket partnership as he rode his luck and then grew in confidence with some crisp shots.
McSween has struck four fours and two sixes in his 54-ball knock, while Lewis is solid on 12 from 56 balls.
Meanwhile, Tevin Imlach, Keon Joseph, Antony Adams and Akshaya Persaud were the four to miss out on a spot in the Eagles’ Playing XI.
Play resumes Thursday from 10:00h.
Below are the summaries of the other two games
In Bridgetown: Leeward Islands Hurricanes 172-9 declared (Devon Thomas 58, Kieran Powell 43, Jahmar Hamilton 29; Keon Harding 4-42, Jonathon Carter 2-9) vs Barbados Pride 27-0 (Kraigg Brathwaite 11*, Shayne Moseley 8*)
In Tarouba: Jamaica Scorpions 141 all out in 51.4 overs (Jermaine Blackwood 44, John Campbell 25, Paul Palmer 24; Bryan Charles 6-48, Jayden Seales 2-17) vs Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 98-3 (Joshua DaSilva 32*, Jason Mohammed 22; Nicholson Gordon 2-23)