ST THOMAS, US Virgin Islands, CMC – Captain Rawl Lewis smashed a solid half century and Shane Shillingford grabbed three late wickets to put the Windward Islands in command against the Leeward Islands in their WICB regional four-day match yesterday.
After securing a 28-run first innings lead in the final round match at the Adelita Cancryn Ground, the Windwards ripped into the Leewards’ top order and left them reeling at 102 for five at stumps in their second innings, a mere 74 runs ahead with five wickets standing.
The Windwards owe their strong position to Lewis, whose positive knock of 81 not out carried them to 271 in reply to the Leewards’ first innings 243 and Shillingford, who dramatically picked up three wickets late in the day to wobble the home side’s batting.
From an overnight 66 for two, 177 runs behind, the Windwards profited from a 42-run third wicket stand between West Indies One-day International (ODI) batsman Andre Fletcher and night-watchman Mervyn Matthew before a middle-order slide revived the Leewards’ first-innings hopes.
Leg-spinner Anthony Martin, who dislodged both openers on Saturday evening, struck again when he got rid of Matthew leg before wicket for 35 at 102 for three.
Tonito Willett then struck twice before lunch to remove Fletcher for 23 and Liam Sebastien for a first-ball “duck” as the Windwards slipped to 132 for five.
Lewis and Donwell Hector took the visitors to lunch at 160 for five and although they lost Hector lbw to Martin for 26, and suffered a quick double-blow when Lyndon James and Shillingford fell cheaply, the Windwards pushed on to claim a first innings advantage by tea, which they took at 257 for eight.
During the post-lunch session, Lewis who is the leading scorer for the Windwards this season, surpassed 700 runs marking the current campaign using an attacking approach.
He lost James to pacer Gavin Tonge for six and Shillingford (4) to Wilden Cornwall as the score dipped to 209-8, still 34 runs behind, but found an able partner in Deighton Butler and rallied the score past the Leewards’ first innings effort.
The 34-year-old Grenadian thumped his fifth half-century of the season in 50 minutes off just 54 balls with seven fours and a six over mid-wicket off Martin.
Pacer Brent Defreitas returned for a new spell to bowl Butler (16) and also dislodged Kenroy Peters (2) to a fine leg-side catch by 2008 West Indies Youth (Under-19) wicket-keeper Devon Thomas.
Lewis struck 12 fours and a six and was just 19 runs shy of a third first-class hundred at the end.
Martin was the chief wicket-taker for the Leewards with tidy figures of four for 54 off 24 overs with 10 maidens, and he received good support from Defreitas (2-29) and Willett (2-59).
When the Leewards started their second innings, the opening bowlers dislodged Kieran Powell (10) and Runako Morton (24) before Shillingford put an even more decisive spin on the game.
After Powell fell to Matthew (1-25), Morton achieved 1,000 runs for the season but was soon caught at mid-on for 24 when he miscued an attempted pull shot off Butler (1-32) and was caught at mid-on by Peters.
Montcin Hodge and Codville Rogers temporarily revived the innings with a 43-run third wicket stand that ended when Shillingford bowled Rogers and triggered a striking decline by the home side that saw them lose three wickets without adding a run.
Rogers made 33 with five fours and a six before he fell to Shillingford, who sent back Willett and skipper Steve Liburd – both without scoring.
Liburd completed a “pair” in the match and Shillingford finished the day with 3-13 off nine overs with three maidens.
Hodge was still there on 34 with five fours and a six and will need Thomas and Cornwall, the only remaining recognized batting talent in the line-up to support his efforts to boost their position.
Jamaica, idle in the final round, already secured the George Headley/Everton Weekes Trophy from the 12th round, and finished on 106 points last weekend.
The Windwards entered the final round on 75 points, battling with Trinidad and Tobago (66) and the Leewards (65) for the runner-up spot.