CAVE HILL, Barbados, CMC – Ryan Austin followed up Chadwick Walton’s second first-class hundred with another destructive spell of off-spin bowling to catapult Combined Campuses & Colleges to a 152-run victory over Leeward Islands in the Regional Four-Day Championship here yesterday.
Austin, the Man-of-the-Match, captured six for 48 from 22 overs, as Leewards, chasing 305 for victory, were bowled out for 152 in their second innings about 25 minutes after tea on the final day of their fourth round match at the Three Ws Oval.
Devon Thomas led the way for the visitors with 37, Tonito Willett made 26 and Kieran Powell added 24, but no other batsman reached 20.
The victory was formalised when Leewards No.11 Anthony Martin top-edged a sweep to first slip off leg-spinner Akeem Dewar.
The result meant CCC gained 12 points for their first victory for the season, moving them out of the basement position, now occupied by the Leewards on seven points.
Walton, starting the day on 74, was undefeated on 101, propelling CCC to 367 for six before they declared their second innings once he had reached the milestone about 25 minutes after the start.
The Jamaica-born wicketkeeper/batsman worked his 120th delivery through mid-wicket for two to reach the landmark in an innings that lasted 167 minutes and contained seven fours and four sixes.
Leg-spinner Anthony Martin was the most successful Leewards bowler with three for 112 from 53 overs and Willett ended with two for 100 from 32 overs.
Leewards, also bidding to post their first victory of the season, saw their chances take a nosedive, when they slumped to 49 for four at lunch.
Orlando Peters, opening the batting in place of the injured Montcin Hodge, was caught at gully off Kesrick Williams for two in the third over and Akeem Saunders was bowled playing back and across to a delivery from left-arm spinner Derone Davis, leaving the visitors 27 for two.
Thomas enjoyed a slice of luck before he had scored when captain Kyle Corbin put him down at slip after Austin deceived him with a well-flighted delivery.
But West Indies opener Powell, eyeing a boost of confidence heading into the first Test against Zimbabwe, was not so blessed when he was lbw about 15 minutes before lunch, playing defensively forward to Austin.
Captain Sylvester Joseph then miscued a pull at a delivery from Austin and was caught at deep backward square leg for 11 in the penultimate over before lunch.
After the interval, Steve Liburd battled with Thomas for just over half-hour, keeping the CCC bowlers at bay, until he was caught at slip off Dewar for 12, playing defensively forward.
Thomas’s charmed life continued when Floyd Reifer put him down on 21 at gully off Davis, but his good fortune soon expired, when he was taken at deep fine leg from a top-edged slog/sweep off Austin.
Leewards crumbled to 135 for eight at tea and there was only token resistance from the tail-enders this time, as they plunged to defeat.
The tournament takes a mid-season break before matches resume on March 23 for the fifth round, when CCC travel to Port-of-Spain to face Trinidad & Tobago at Queen’s Park Oval and Leewards head to Kingston to meet Jamaica at Sabina Park.
