Barbados Pride fast bowler Akeem Jordan was again excellent with the ball as he helped dismiss Windward Islands Volcanoes for 237 on the opening day of Round 5 of the West Indies Championship at the Queen’s Park Oval on Wednesday. At the close Barbados replied strongly with 48-0.
Scorecard here: https://www.windiescricket.com/matches/215791/#scorecard
Winning the toss and batting first, the Volcanoes were in a spot of bother from the first over, when Kimani Melius became Jordan’s first wicket. Round four century-maker Kavem Hodge departed soon after as well as Johann Jeremiah to leave the Volcanoes on 17-3 in seven overs. However, a 47-run partnership between skipper Alick Athanaze and Sunil Ambris rebuilt the Volcanoes’ innings. Ambris fell to Roshon Primus for 28.
Then came the partnership that rescued the Windwards innings. Athanaze and keeper Tevin Walcott added 98 runs for the fifth wicket. Walcott was the first to go when he was trapped LBW by Jordan for 55 and Jordan had Athanaze’s wicket in the same manner, for 59. Ryan John soldiered on in the Volcanoes’ lower order before he was the last wicket to fall for 41 as the Windwards. Jordan ended the first innings with figures of 16-4-44-5 followed by Primus with 11-0-44-2.
“It was hard work. The wicket is pretty flat here at Queen’s Park and I just had to do what I had to do for the team, and it paid off with me getting five. The plan was to make them work hard for their runs when they started scoring at over three an over. The skipper kept a calm head and kept the team together. I hope our batsmen can get a big score, they’re hungry for runs and if we can get a lead, that would be perfect for us.” Jordan said.
Hinds leads T&T fight back after a shaky start against Jamaica
Terrence Hinds got close to scoring his maiden first-class century in a display of patient and level-headed batting to rescue the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force’s first innings against the Jamaica Scorpions at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.
Scorecard here: https://www.windiescricket.com/matches/215790/#scorecard
Batting at 112-5, Red Force looked in trouble, but a 71-run partnership between Tion Webster (30) and Joshua Da Silva (39) rescued their innings. Then, it was Hinds with a superb 94 and Anderson Phillip with a career-best 63 not out who put the Red Force back in the driver’s seat with a 100-run partnership for the ninth wicket. Hinds feasted on the Scorpions’ bowling, smashing 10 fours and three six from 121 balls while Phillip hit seven fours and two sixes as Red Force posed 302 all out in their first innings.
Derval Green was the standout Scorpions bowler, with figures of 15-2-56-3 followed by Marquino Mindley with 17-2-56-2. In their first-innings reply, Jamaica lost the wicket of Tevin Gilzene who was castled by Phillip with the fifth ball of the innings. The visitor will resume on Thursday at 5-0.
Leaders Guyana suffer batting collapse as Leewards lead on first innings
Rahkeem Cornwall added four more wickets to his tally for the season when he spun his way through the Guyana Harpy Eagles batting lineup. The off-spinner accounted for the majority of the home team’s top order as Harpy Eagles were bowled out for 122 all out at the Guyana National Stadium.
Scorecard here: https://www.windiescricket.com/matches/215790/#scorecard
Cornwall finished with figures of 17-6-27-4 followed by left-arm seamer Colin Archibald who had 9.1-3-27-2.
The Hurricanes also faced some hiccups in their batting and close the day on 133-5 a lead of 11. Skipper Jahmar Hamilton is on 35 not out. Experienced opener Kieran Powell got the innings going with 39 off 75 balls and Keacy Carty contributed 23 off 67 balls. Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul has so far taken 2-31 off 12 overs.
Play continues in all three matches from 10 am (9 am Jamaica time) on Thursday.
Fans can stream all West Indies Championship matches live on the Windies Cricket YouTube channel and access live ball-by-ball scoring at http://windiescricket.com/ match center. Following the Championship, the new Headley Weekes Series will feature three teams and matches, drawing from top performers in the 2023 West Indies Championship and players outside the starting West Indies Test XI. The Series will run from April 18 to May 6 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.