TRELAWNY, Jamaica, CMC – Darren Sammy produced an incisive spell and Johnson Charles stroked a pivotal half-century as Windward Islands cruised into the semi-finals of the WICB Regional One-Day Championship with a three-wicket win over Combined Campuses and Colleges yesterday.
Playing at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium, the Windwards survived a few anxious moments before overhauling CCC’s 202 for nine off 50 overs, reaching 203 for seven with 16 balls to spare.
Sammy claimed three 34 from a fine 10-over spell, striking crucial blows to send the CCC tumbling from 54 for one to 85 for five.
He removed the dangerous Miles Bascombe (28) and the seasoned Floyd Reifer (1), before quickly accounting for the blossoming Nekoli Parris (14) with intelligent medium pace bowling.
CCC were revived through two key partnerships as Ryan Wiggins smashed a career-best 52 from 73 balls to give the lower order life.
The 26-year-old posted 67 for the sixth wicket with Romel Currency who scored 33 from 51 balls, and added another 45 for the seventh wicket with Chadwick Walton whose cameo 37 required just 17 balls and was decorated with two fours and three sixes.
Charles and Devon Smith then gave the Windwards a splendid start, putting up 105 for the first wicket to put CCC against the ropes.
The 21-year-old Charles stroked an accomplished 72 from 108 balls with four fours and a six, while the left-handed Smith got 48 from 76 balls with two fours.
Smith edged a cut to wicketkeeper Walton off Parris’ spin to depart but Charles added another 44 for the second wicket with Andre Fletcher who scored 23 from 26 balls.
Fast bowler Gilford Moore, who finished with four for 41, inspired a middle order collapse that saw Windwards lose four wickets for 21 runs, to crash to 170 for five. CCC were then in with a whiff but Sammy’s run-a-ball 24 pushed Windwards to their second straight win of the tournament.