SUPER50: Volcanoes condemn sloppy Harpy Eagles to opening defeat

Windward Volcanoes edged a sloppy Guyana Harpy Eagles for a stunning come-from-behind victory in their opening match of the Regional Super50 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago.

In pursuit of 275 for victory, the Volcanoes were 58-5 in 11.4 overs, and the writing was on the wall for a crushing defeat.

But it was not the case.

Battling the heavy dew, the Eagles dropped catches and made constant misfields, helping the Volcanoes recover to 139-6.

Shadrack Descarte and Dillon Douglas made a brilliant stand of 81.

Descrate was dismissed for 60 (7x4s:1×6) from 62, while the wicketkeeper-batsman, Douglas, in just his second List A, fell painstakingly short of a well-deserved century.

Douglas was crestfallen, run out for 90 (8x4s; 2x6s) from 100 balls, but his innings proved the pillar to a stunning victory.

Nial Smith, who got the new ball moving, picked up 3-46 but could not complete his ten overs after leaving the field due to suspected cramps.

However, the bowlers chipped away at the score until the last over.

The Volcanoes became the first team to chase 250 or more at BLCA and defeated the Eagles for the first time at BLCA.

 Half-centuries from skipper Tevin Imlach and Keemo Paul earlier led the late charge for the Eagles.

Imlach was unbeaten on 65 (5x4s; 1×6) from 67 balls, and Paul blasted his way to 54* (1×4; 6x6s) from 29 balls.

Tagnarine Chanderpaul (49 from 81 balls) and Matthew Nandu (34 from 61 balls) laid a solid foundation for the Eagles, while Kevlon Anderson brought some impetus with 42 (2x4s; 2x6s) from 39 balls.

Harpy Eagles secured two batting bonus points for scoring over 80 runs in the last ten overs and for a batsman batting six or lower who gets fifty under 40 balls.

In his post-match comments, Imlach stated, “We were a bit lackadaisical…after we got the first five wickets, we were a bit laid back.”

Eagles are back in action on Thursday against Combined Campuses and Colleges at UWI Spec from 09:00h.

FULL SCORECARD: https://matchcentre.windiescricket.com/match/a771d0a5-5e56-4e5d-9557-4fdfb0914c60/scorecard/2