NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – Off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall grabbed his first-ever 10-wicket haul in first class cricket to inspire Leeward Islands Hurricanes to an 85-run victory over Jamaica Scorpions and their first win of the Regional first class championship here yesterday.
Starting the final day of their sixth round clash on 58 for two in search of 366 for victory, Scorpions were dismissed for 280 – undermined by Cornwall who claimed seven for 131 to end with match figures of 12 for 205.
Barbadian right-hander Kirk Edwards converted his overnight 28 into a top score of 93 while tail-ender Sheldon Cottrell got 39 and Carlton Baugh Jr, 25, but the task of scoring 308 on the final day proved too much for the visitors.
Jamaica Scorpions’ Barbadian import Kirk Edwards … top scored with 93.
Hurricanes had lost all five of their previous outings this season to languish at the bottom of the six-team standings.
However, their broke out of their slump in style in style, taking wickets at regular intervals throughout the day to ensure there was no way back for Scorpions.
Edwards seemed to be steering Scorpions to safety when he anchored a series of small partnerships. He struck 13 fours and three sixes in an innings spanning 142 deliveries and 189 minutes before he was sixth out.
He extended his overnight third wicket stand with Andre McCarthy to 41 before Cornwall grabbed his first wicket of the morning, trapping McCarthy lbw for 22 after 35 balls the crease.
Edwards then put on 38 with Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood, who made 21, and added another 47 for the fifth wicket with Antiguan Devon Thomas who got 15.
Blackwood’s knock was typically breezy, coming from just 25 balls and including four boundaries, before it ended with a catch at short leg by Montcin Hodge off Cornwall.
Thomas, a former Hurricanes captain, lasted an hour and faced 50 balls, before falling on the stroke of lunch at 167 for five.
Unbeaten on 78 at the break, Edwards combined with Baugh afterward to add 22 for the sixth wicket, and looked set for his tenth first class hundred when he edged Cornwall to slip at 189 for six.
Cornwall then pulled off a fine return catch three balls later to remove David Bernard Jr with no runs added to the score, as the death knell sounded for Scorpions.
With hope dwindling quickly, Cottrell threw his bat around for three fours and three sixes in a 47-ball cameo which unnerved Hurricanes, as he and Nikita Miller (15 not out) put on 34 for the last wicket. Fittingly, Cornwall took the final wicket to hand Scorpions their third defeat of the season.
