BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Former West Indies vice-captain, Kirk Edwards, stroked a half-century to guide Windward Islands Volcanoes to their first win of the Regional Super50 here Wednesday night.
Asked by English County Hampshire to chase a modest 201 for victory in the day-night contest at Kensington Oval, Volcanoes reached their target in the 37th over with Edwards finishing unbeaten on 71.
West Indies Twenty20 star Andre Fletcher slammed 53 while former Windies speedster Fidel Edwards claimed three for 52.
Opting to bat first earlier, Hampshire could only muster 200 all ou tin the 49th over, with James Adams top-scoring with 83.
Wicketkeeper Lewis McManus chimed in with 28, Bradley Taylor got 24 while Asher Hart scored 21.
Former Test off-spinner Shane Shillingford, adjudged Man-of-the-Match, finished with four for 32 while Windies limited overs seamer Kesrick Williams (2-39) and left-arm spinner Kavem Hodge (2-42) picked up two wickets apiece.
Hampshire recovered well after losing Tom Alsop to the second ball of the match without a run on the board, with Adams anchored three small stands to steady the innings.
He put on 41 for the second wicket with Joe Weatherley (8), 36 for the third wicket with Sean Ervine (8) before adding a further 38 for the fourth wicket with McManus.
All told, Adams counted 11 fours and two sixes in an attractive 75-ball knock.
Once he departed in the 23rd over, however, the innings declined steadily with the last seven wickets falling for 85 runs.
Hampshire could have capitulated below the 200-run mark had it not been for a brave 41-run eighth wicket stand between Taylor and Hart.
In reply, Volcanoes were stumbling on 35 for two in the fifth over after Fidel Edwards blasted out openers Devon Smith (14) and Johnson Charles (13) cheaply.
But Kirk Edwards came to the party, putting on 94 off 83 deliveries with Fletcher in an up tempo third wicket partnership.
The 33-year-old Edwards faced 91 balls and struck eight fours and a six while Fletcher also belted eight fours and a six in a hasty 55-ball knock.
Fletcher became Edwards’s third victim in the 21st over but Edwards remained immovable, adding 32 with Roland Cato (17) to put his side over the line.
