CAVE HILL, Barbados, CMC – An explosive, maiden first-class hundred from Shacaya Thomas combined with another destructive spell from off-spinner Ryan Austin put Combined Campuses and Colleges in a superior position against Guyana in the Regional Four-Day Championship on Saturday.
Thomas launched a merciless attack on the Guyanese bowling and was undefeated on 161, inspiring CCC’s reply of 244 for three to the visitors’ first innings total of 263, on the second day of the fourth round match played under lights at the 3Ws Oval.
The 25-year-old opener reached his milestone from 143 balls, when he slapped a short ball from Raun Johnson back past the bowler for his 11th four, almost decapitating fellow Jamaican, umpire Patrick Gustard.
Thomas anchored a solid batting effort from the CCC and featured in successive half-century stands that gave his side the foundation for a monumental total.
He shared 86 for the first wicket with left-handed opener Anthony Alleyne and put on 64 for second wicket with the silky Kyle Corbin before he consolidated the CCC’s position with a third-wicket stand of 46 with left-hander Raymon Reifer and an unbroken stand of 48 for the fourth-wicket with Chadwick Walton.
Alleyne scored 12, Corbin made 20, Reifer got 17 and Walton was not out on 27, but no other batsman could match the destructive batting of Thomas, as the CCC took full toll of the friendly Guyana attack on a hard, true pitch.
Austin had also used the conditions to his advantage and finished with five for 71 from 29 overs, as the Guyanese were dismissed about 50 minutes after the scheduled start.
