Source : Sunday Express
Five-wicket hauls from leg-spinner Yannic Cariah and left-arm orthodox spinner Khary Pierre helped the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force seal first innings points against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes on the final day of their drawn West Indies Four-Day Championship third-round match at Warner Park in St Kitts yesterday. Then skipper Joshua Da Silva followed that up with his second century of the match.
After two days of little success with the ball, the Red Force spinners stepped up on the final day, with Cariah taking five for 103 from 34 overs and Pierre five for 93 off 54.3. The Hurricanes were dismissed for 433 in reply to T&T’s first innings total of 529 for five declared.
It was Cariah’s third first-class five-wicket haul, while Pierre took his third of the 2025 season and fourth overall in first-class cricket.
Having taken a 96-run first innings lead with just under two sessions remaining in the contest, the Red Force opted to bat through to the close.
Da Silva seized the opportunity, finishing 100 not out, as the Red Force reached 191 for three when play was called off inside the last hour.
Da Silva faced 108 balls, striking 11 fours and a six, reaching three figures with a single off part-time spinner Kadeem Henry.
Da Silva’s second-innings knock proved timely after his side was rocked in the first over when Vikash Mohan and Amir Jangoo both fell to Alzarri Joseph without a run on the board. But he and Cephas Cooper (52) guided the Red Force to safety in the second innings, ensuring a draw was the only possible outcome.
Earlier, the Hurricanes resumed their first innings from an overnight position of 317 for three, with Jewel Andrew and Karima Gore continuing their patient approach for the first few overs.
However, after a watchful start, Andrew smashed Pierre for a straight six before Gore flicked Anderson Phillip for four, getting the innings moving again. But Pierre stuck to his plans and was rewarded when Andrew chipped down to him and missed the ball completely, with Da Silva completing a straightforward stumping as the Hurricanes lost their fourth wicket with the score on 338.
The Hurricanes’ innings began to decline after Andrew’s dismissal. Gore raised his half-century shortly after, but the hosts were kept quiet for the next ten overs as they crept past 350.
Gore struck his first six of the innings off Cariah, but the leg-spinner had the final say when the right-handed batter played forward and edged the ball through to the wicketkeeper.
Cariah completed his five-wicket haul when Hayden Walsh Jr tried a reverse sweep and played the ball straight to Bryan Charles at first slip for 18. Cariah sent Walsh off with a few words, as the battle for first innings honours started to heat up, with the Leewards trailing by 126 with four wickets in hand.
The Red Force wrested the advantage before lunch, with Pierre grabbing two more wickets. Rahkeem Cornwall (four) cut and edged to Charles at first slip, while Joseph flicked the ball to substitute fielder Tion Webster for one. The hosts went to lunch at 416 for eight, still trailing by 113 runs.
Pierre removed Jahmar Hamilton (38) and Daniel Doram (five) after the break, as the Red Force secured the first innings advantage.
Summarised scores:
At Windsor Park:
CCC 216, 71.3 overs (Damel Evelyn 53, Johann Jeremiah 40; Darel Cyrus 5/71, Kenneth Dember 3/68 & 60-0, 22 overs (Damel Evelyn 37 n.o., Kieran Powell 20 n.o.) vs WINDWARD ISLANDS VOLCANOES 248, 77.5 overs (Gian Benjamin 49, Kenneth Dember 49; Akeem Jordan 5/52, Romario Greaves 3/64)
—Match drawn.