PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – The Guyana Harpy Eagles captured their second successive West Indies Championship title when they drew with second-placed Trinidad and Tobago Red Force on Saturday’s final day of their seventh-round clash.
The result lifted the Harpy Eagles—winners of four of their seven matches—to 126.6 points. Barbados Pride climbed to second with 112 points following a three-wicket win over the Leeward Islands Hurricanes at Warner Park in St Kitts. The Red Force, who began the day in second, slipped to third on 111 points. They were followed by the Leeward Islands Hurricanes (94.6), Jamaica Scorpions (86.4), West Indies Academy (62), Combined Campuses and Colleges (58.4) and Windward Islands Volcanoes (55).
The Harpy Eagles were always favoured to retain their title heading into the final day, with the Red Force needing divine intervention to pull off an improbable win.
Resuming the day on 101 for two, still 122 runs in arrears, the Red Force was boosted by Jason Mohammed’s 17th first-class century and a fighting half-century from captain Joshua Da Silva.
Mohammed scored 125 from 186 balls, and Da Silva hit 77 off 79 deliveries, which helped them to get up to 370 for nine before declaring their innings.
Left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd grabbed 4-105 and veteran spinner Veerasammy Permaul took 3-138.
With the Harpy Eagles chasing just 147 for victory, the Red Force needed quick wickets to give themselves a chance.
However, it was not to be, as Raymond Perez scored an unbeaten 26 and the Harpy Eagles reached 33 without loss before both sides agreed to a draw.