FOUR-DAY: Sinclair (77*) and Beaton (1*) bat Harpy Eagles to nail-biting draw against Volcanoes
SUMMARY: Windward Islands Volcanoes 294 all out from 80.5 overs (Alick Athanaze 141, Ryan John 51*, Sunil Ambris 47, Justin Greaves 21; Veerasammy Permaul 4-70, Ronsford Beaton 2-50, Kevin Sinclair 2-66) and 168 all out from 56.3 overs (Justin Greaves 27, Sunil Ambris 26, Preston McSween 25; Shamar Joseph 5-41, Ronsford Beaton 3-35) vs Guyana Harpy Eagles 169 all out from 63.1 overs (Veerasammy Permaul 53, Kevin Sinclair 23, Anthony Bramble 21, Kemol Savory 20; Justin Greaves 5-24, Ryan John 2-52) and 250-9 from 91 overs (Kevin Sinclair 77*, Matthew Nandu 60, Leon Johnson 40, Akshaya Persaud 24; Preston McSween 3-58, Justin Greaves 2-35, Kavem Hodge 2-36)
Fast bowler Ronsford Beaton played arguably the most important innings of his First-Class career and all-rounder Kevin Sinclair scored a career-best 77 not out as Guyana Harpy Eagles pulled off an exciting draw against Windward Islands Volcanoes in Round Two of the West Indies Four-Day Championship on Saturday afternoon in Grenada.
Harpy Eagles were down and out at 211-9, and with the target being 294, it was a matter of survival for the last pair, rather than a push for victory.
Sinclair and Beaton did just that, surviving some anxious moments before they were offered light and gleefully accepted with Harpy Eagles 250-9.
The unbroken last-wicket stand of 39 ensured the Harpy Eagles remained unbeaten in the tournament, after a thumping 183-run defeat of defending campions Barbados Pride in Round One.
Beaton faced 24 deliveries for the solitary run he scored, going not out for the second time in the match, after his 10 off 42 balls in the first innings.
Sinclair rallied the lower-order after a wobble in the final session, facing 138 balls and hitting nine fours and a six.
When Beaton strode to the crease, Sinclair was on 43 off 59 balls and Harpy Eagles had batted 73.5 overs.
The pair would go on to survive 17.1 overs or 103 balls to save the Harpy Eagles from what seemed at the time, a certain defeat.
Keenly contested final day
It was an exciting and tense finish to a match that was badly affected by the elements, with as many as 11 interruptions over the four days at the Grenada National Stadium.
Saturday started with the news that Harpy Eagles batsman Chandrapaul Hemraj will play no further part in the game after retiring hurt late on the third afternoon.
He was struck on the helmet by a rising delivery from fast bowler Darius Martin, making way for fellow left-hander Akshaya Persaud to come in as the concussion substitute.
Resuming on 35-0, Harpy Eagles motored along nicely, but from a solid position of 120-2, they innings fell away.
Opener Matthew Nandu scored 60 off 123 balls (7x4s), Tevin Imlach made 25 off 62 and skipper Leon Johnson 40 off 50 (5x4s, 1×6), but following their dismissals, wickets fell at regular intervals.
Persaud and Sinclair joined forced at 140-5 and proceeded to add 64 for the sixth wicket to stabilise the innings, and gave the Harpy Eagles hopes of a victory.
However, after Persaud fell for 24 off 62, the Volcanoes stormed back into the contest, dismissing the in-form Veerasammy Permaul for four, and Shamar Joseph and Nial Smith, both without scoring to make it 211-9.
At that point, a Volcanoes’ victory seemed the most likely outcome, but Sinclair found a capable partner in Beaton in keeping the bowlers at bay.
While Beaton managed just a single, Sinclair strategically rotated the strike, even hitting a six when the game was on a knife’s edge.
After the pair accepted the offer of light, Sinclair let out a loud roar and the Harpy Eagles’ players rose in jubilation as they staved off defeat in the most dramatic fashion.
Summarised scores of the other two matches in Antigua:
At Coolidge Cricket Ground: Jamaica Scorpions 140 all out from 54.5 overs (Jamie Merchant 35, Tevin Gilzene 32, Abhijai Mansingh 27; Shamar Springer 3-11, Camarie Boyce 3-26, Akeem Jordan 3-48) and 151 all out from 45.5 overs Kirk McKenzie 56, Gordon Bryan 42; Akeem Jordan 4-65, Jair McAllister 3-35) vs Barbados Pride 215 all out from 69.5 overs (Shayne Moseley 82, Shane Dowrich 64*; Patrick Harty 4-23, Marquindo Mindley 2-25, Abhijai Mansingh 2-30) and 78-4 from 29.2 overs (Zachary McCaskie 26; Patrick Harty 3-26). Barbados Pride win by six wickets
At Sir Vivian Richards Stadium: Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 418-9 from 126.5 overs (Darren Bravo 100, Imran Khan 92, Yannic Cariah 52, Terrance Hinds 51; Jeremiah Louis 3-78, Colin Archibald 3-111) and 183-5 declared from 43.4 overs (Darren Bravo 100*; Kofi James 3-39) vs Leeward Islands Hurricanes 302 all out from 100.1 overs (Kacey Carty 95, Rahkeem Cornwall 67; Bryan Charles 4-84, Khary Pierre 3-63) and 72-1 from 23 overs (Montcin Hodge 34*). Match ends in a draw
