ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – A record 10th wicket stand gave Windward Islands Volcanoes the advantage but half-centuries from Jahmar Hamilton and Montcin Hodge helped Leeward Islands Hurricanes fight back in their fourth round, Regional Four-Day contest here Saturday.
Resuming the second day on 186 for eight, Volcanoes flourished through a last wicket partnership between captain Liam Sebastien who finished unbeaten on 80 and Mervin Matthew who blasted an aggressive 73 – his maiden first class half-century.
Delorn Johnson also made 56 while veteran fast bowler Gavin Tonge finished with five for 56 and Test pacer Alzarri Joseph, three for 65.
In reply, Hurricanes were languishing at 69 for four before Hamilton struck an unbeaten 77 and Hodge, 76, to stabilise the innings in a 116-run, fifth wicket partnership.
The right-handed Hamilton has so far faced 107 balls in 2-¾ hours and counted ten fours while Hodge was more patient, facing 271 deliveries in an innings lasting 291 minutes and including five fours.
Sebastien, who claimed three for 50 with his off-spin, broke the stand when he had Hodge caught at leg slip by Johnson Charles.
Former West Indies off-spinner Shane Shillingford has picked up two for 75.
Earlier, Sebastien had held the innings together by anchoring half-century stands for the ninth and 10th wicket.
Unbeaten on 59 at the start, he extended his overnight ninth wicket partnership with Johnson to 70 before adding a further 95 for the final wicket with Matthew – a record in the history of the modern competition.
The left-handed Sebastien faced 162 balls in 218 minutes and counted eight fours while Johnson added ten to his overnight 46 to post his second first class half-century.
Matthews’ innings was the turning point, however, as he lashed six fours and six sixes in off a mere 53 balls to frustrate Hurricanes.
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Scores:
VOLCANOES 291 (Liam Sebastien 80 not out, Mervin Matthew 73, Delorn Johnson 56, Sunil Ambris 23, Shane Shillingford 22; Gavin Tonge 5-56, Alzarri Joseph 3-65)
LEEWARD ISLANDS HURRICANES 209 for six (Jahmar Hamilton 77 not out, Montcin Hodge 76; Liam Sebastien 3-50, Shane Shillingford 2-75)
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VOLCANOES 1st Innings (overnight 186 for eight)
D Smith c Taylor b Joseph 4
T Theophile lbw b Tonge 2
J Charles c Hughes b Joseph 6
J Robinson c wkp Hamilton b Joseph 2
+S Ambris c wkp Hamilton b Tonge 23
T Gabriel c wkp Hamilton b Tonge 1
*L Sebastien not out 80
K Mayers c Hodge b Tonge 2
S Shillingford b Cornwall 22
D Johnson c Cornwall b Tonge 56
M Matthew c Hughes b Walsh 73
Extras (b6, lb3, w4, nb7) 20
TOTAL (all out, 64.2 overs) 291
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-8, 3-11, 4-22, 5-43, 6-44, 7-48, 8-126, 9-196, 10-291.
Bowling: Joseph 17-5-65-3 (w4, nb4), Tonge 11-2-56-5, Cornwall 19-7-79-1, Walsh 11.2-2-34-1, Taylor 2-0-28-0, Powell 2-0-9-0, Bonner 2-0-11-0.
HURRICANES 1st Innings
*K Powell c Mayers b Matthews 2
M Hodge c Charles b Sebastien 76
A Saunders c Charles b Shillingford 1
C Hughes lbw b Shillingford 20
N Bonner hit wkt b Sebastien 5
+J Hamilton not out 77
R Cornwall lbw b Sebastien 18
Extras (b6, nb4) 10
TOTAL (6 wkts, 74.5 overs) 209
To bat: H Walsh Jr, J Taylor, A Joseph, G Tonge.
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-12, 3-48, 4-69, 5-185, 6-209.
Bowling: Johnson 11-3-20-0, Mayers 10-3-27-0, Matthew 9-3-15-1, Shillingford 26-6-75-2, Sebastien 15.5-4-50-3, Theophile 3-0-16-0.
Position: Hurricanes trail by 82 runs with four wickets intact.
Toss: Hurricanes.
Umpires: L Reifer Jr, D Ramdhanie.