PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Seasoned international opener Kieran Powell carved out a ninth first class hundred as Leeward Islands suffered a late slide before holding on to edge Barbados Pride by two wickets in the third round of the West Indies Championship.
Resuming the third morning at Queen’s Park Oval on 13 without loss in pursuit of 247 for victory, Hurricanes were lifted by the left-handed Powell’s 104 and captain Jahmar Hamilton’s 55, to get over the line 23 minutes before tea here yesterday.
The result was not without drama, however. Powell and Hamilton posted 120 for the fifth wicket which appeared to have put the game beyond Pride’s reach.
But both perished in successive overs, leading to a swift middle order collapse which saw three wickets tumble for no run in the space of 18 balls, and leaving Hurricanes tottering on 223 for seven.
Kofi James (14) then added 20 for the eighth wicket with Rahkeem Cornwall (10 not out), a partnership which again gave Hurricanes the upper hand. The pendulum swung again when James tried to end the game but managed only in driving left-arm pacer Dominic Drakes uppishly to cover where Zachary McCaskie pouched the chance, with four runs to get for victory. In the next over, Cornwall was dramatically put down at third slip by Shamar Springer off fast bowler Jair McAllister (2-47), before the burly West Indies all-rounder thumped the next delivery to the ropes at long off, to carry Hurricanes to their first win of the campaign following draws in the opening two rounds. Powell was the architect of the run chase, the 33-year-old facing 109 balls in just under 3-¼ hours and counting 11 fours and three sixes in a dominant innings.
Unbeaten at the start, he engineered an opening stand of 69 with Montcin Hodge, who converted his overnight nine into 34 off 44 deliveries, with half-dozen fours.
When off-spinner Chaim Holder (3-38) tore through the top order as Hurricanes lost four wickets for 34 runs, Powell combined with Hamilton to stabilise the run chase. Together, they took their side to 147 for four at lunch and Hamilton, unbeaten on 15 at the interval, played positively to reach his fifty, 45 minutes following the resumption, while Powell reached triple figures moments later.
Hamilton, who faced 70 balls and lashed seven fours, gifted his wicket to a brilliant catch at cover by Drakes off left-arm spinner Camarie Boyce (2-59) on the stroke of the hour and Powell followed in the very next over, holing out to deep square hooking at McAllister. Louis and James then perished cheaply to leave the game on a knife’s edge right down to the end.