CAVE HILL, Barbados, CMC – Combined Campuses & Colleges’ spinners, led by Nkrumah Bonner, bowled their side to a 33-run, come-from-behind victory over Windward Islands in the WICB Regional first-class championship yesterday.
Bonner collected five wickets for 26 runs from 14.5 overs, as Windwards were dismissed for 145 in their second innings, chasing 179 for victory, about five minutes past the scheduled tea time on the third day of their first round match at Three Ws Oval.
Kavesh Kantasingh supported with three for 37 from 19 overs, and Ryan Austin snared two for 46 from 15 overs.
Andre Fletcher hit the top score of 35 for the Windwards, and his captain Liam Sebastien made 27, but no other Windwards batsman passed 20.
Fletcher and Sebastien added 50 for the fourth wicket to consolidate for Windwards before Bonner mopped-up the tail, and the visitors lost their last seven wickets for 49 runs.
The result meant that CCC avoided their third straight defeat to the Windwards on home soil, and recorded only their third win against them in five matches.
CCC had been dismissed about 15 minutes after the scheduled start for 221 in their second innings, when Sebastien collected the final CCC scalp caught behind for one.
Windwards openers Johnson Charles and Tyrone Theophile made a steady start before two wickets from Austin left them shaky on 75 for three at lunch.
After Kantasingh had Theophile caught at slip for 18, Austin removed Charles for 17 and Keddy Lesporis for six, both caught at forward short leg.
After lunch, Fletcher and Sebastien seemed to put Windwards back on course for victory, but Bonner made the breakthrough, when he trapped Sebastien lbw.
Lindon James joined Fletcher, and they spent around half-hour together before Kantasingh separated them.
The left-arm spinner had James caught at slip for 11, leaving Bonner to wrap things up, taking the last four wickets.
CCC gained 12 points for the victory, and will face Trinidad & Tobago at the UWI St. Augustine in Trinidad in the second round, when Windwards, who got four points, meet Jamaica at the National Stadium in Grenada.
