West Indies Academy vs Guyana Harpy Eagles
Venue: UWI SPEC
Result: West Indies Academy won by 92 runs
Scorecard: https://matchcentre.windiescricket.com/match/63ec7096-9782-405f-9ae7-27ebb396399e/scorecard
West Indies Academy pulled off yet another major victory when they produced a composed all-round performance to overcome Guyana Harpy Eagles on Wednesday. They recovered from 135-7 in the 32nd over to post 263 all out of their allotted 50 overs at the Frank Worrell Memorial Ground. The Academy then mowed down the Harpy Eagles for 171 in the 36th over, to march to their third win in six games and enhance their quest for a semi-final spot.
Fast bowler Matthew Forde demonstrated his batting prowess at a most crucial time as he led the Academy’s courageous effort. He top-scored with 52 from 55 balls while the impressive Teddy Bishop extended his decent form with 48 from 46 balls – just falling short of his third half-century of the campaign.
Captain Nyeem Young chipped in with a breezy 42 from 44 balls while Joshua Bishop (33) and Kevin Wickham (32) offered support, as the Academy dug deep to keep themselves in the game after off-spinner Kevin Sinclair (2-36), left-arm spinners Veerasammy Permaul (2-38) and Gudakesh Motie (2-39) and fast bowler Shamar Joseph (2-59) threatened to undermine the innings cheaply.
In reply, Harpy Eagles never really threatened. Sinclair top-scored with 46 from 56 balls, Permaul got 32 from 28 balls and Kevlon Anderson chipped in with 27 from 31 balls but they were the ones to pass 20.
The unlikely hero was Ackeem Auguste with his leg spin to claim 4-47 while Young snared 3-18 from four overs of pace.
“I’m very pleased with the team’s performance. From the start we had our eyes fixed on a victory and it was very pleasing to perform with both bat and ball and achieve our goal of beating a more experienced team,” Young said. He was speaking after receiving his Player of the Match award – the second for the tournament.
Opting to bat first, the Academy made a bad nightmare start, losing opener Kimani Melius and Leonardo Julien without scoring to successive deliveries in the first over from Sinclair, to be two down without a run on the board.
However, Bishop led the revival, with eight fours and posting 54 for the third wicket with Matthew Nandu (15) and a further 29 for the fourth with Wickham.
When he fell in the 15th over, Wickham and Auguste put on 32 for the fifth wicket before three wickets tumbled for 20 runs to leave the innings in strife.
Forde, who counted four fours and two sixes, then added a vital 59 for the eighth wicket with Young before posting a further 49 for the ninth wicket with Bishop. Young struck two fours and two sixes before falling in the 43rd while Bishop blasted two fours and three sixes in a 23-ball cameo.
UPCOMING MATCHES
2 November: T&T Red Force vs Jamaica Scorpions at Queen’s Park Oval – 9 am
2 November: Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs Barbados Pride at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 1 pm
3 November: West Indies Academy vs Windward Volcanoes at UWI SPEC – 9 am
4 November: Combined Campuses & Colleges vs Leeward Islands Hurricanes at UWI SPEC – 9 am
4 November: Jamaica Scorpions vs Guyana Harpy Eagles at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 1 pm