NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – Combined Campuses & Colleges created a small piece of history, when they completed a 158-run victory over Leeward Islands in the WICB Regional first-class championship yesterday.
CCC dismissed Leewards for 211 in their second innings on the stroke of lunch on the final day of their third round match to earn their first victory over the home team in five tries, since their entry into the competition three years ago.
Carlos Brathwaite formalised the result, when he dismissed Anthony Martin for two, and finished with three wickets for 42 runs from nine over to be the most successful CCC bowler.
Gavin Tonge, batting at nine, struck seven fours and three sixes in 65 from 55 balls in an hour to finish with the top score for the Leewards in their second innings, and wicketkeeper/batsman Jahmar Hamilton supported with 45.
The result earned CCC 12 points to move to 24, and the Leewards gained no points and remain on three.
Leewards, starting from their overnight total of 70 for five, gave early evidence that they were prepared to fight before giving-up the ghost.
Batting with the knowledge that opener Kieran Powell would not bat because of a fractured hand, Hamilton and Justin Athanaze ushered the home team over the 100-run mark in a stand of 37 for the sixth wicket.
Kavesh Kantasingh then bowled Athanaze for 18 to bring-in Tonge to join Hamilton, and they added 64 for the seventh wicket to extend the Leewards innings almost to the lunch interval.
Ryan Austin had Hamilton caught to leave Leewards 171 for seven, but Tonge took to the long handle and raced to his 50 from 45 balls, dominating an eighth wicket stand of 35 with Lionel Baker.
But Austin had him caught at forward short leg, and Brathwaite was quickly summoned by CCC captain Omar Phillips to wrap things up.
CCC hosts England Lions at the Three Ws Oval on the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies in Barbados in the next round starting next Friday, when Leewards host three-time defending champions Jamaica at Warner Park in St. Kitts capital of Basseterre.
