TAROUBA, Trinidad, CMC – Their bowlers, led by Preston McSween and Larry Edward, set it up, and their batsmen formalised a six-wicket win for Windward Islands Volcanoes against Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the West Indies Championship on Saturday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.
Left-arm pacer McSween ended with five for 39 from 13 overs, and left-arm spinner Edward grabbed three for nine from eight overs, and the Hurricanes were bowled out for 144 in their second innings about half-hour before lunch on the final day of their fourth round match at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.
Needing 174 to win, Test batsman Sunil Ambris made 40 not out and led solid top-order batting for the Volcanoes and they reached their target about 15 minutes after tea to clinch their second win of the season.
Volcanoes captain and first innings century-maker Alick Athanaze made 38, opener Keron Cottoy got 37, and Kavem Hodge, another first innings century-maker, added 27.
Barbadian wicketkeeper-batsman Tevyn Walcott formalised the result when he pulled a delivery from Kofi James, bowling his uncomplicated off-spin, through square leg for four.
The result meant Volcanoes secured 20.2 points from the contest and jumped to 58 in the standings, and Hurricanes gained 7.2 to inch to 41.4.
In the final round starting on Wednesday, Volcanoes battle Barbados Pride at Queen’s Park Oval in the Trinidad & Tobago capital of Port of Spain, in a contest that will decide runners-up, at the same time that Hurricanes face hosts and table leaders Guyana Harpy Eagles at the Guyana National Stadium.
Earlier, long-serving opener Montcin Hodge added 14 to his overnight score and finished with the top score of 59 for the Hurricanes, but none of the other batsmen that came to crease on the day reached 20.
Hurricanes stumbled to 99 for five at the close on the previous day, and they lost their last five wickets for 30 in the span of 63 balls with Edward being the chief wrecker of the bottom half of the batting.
He removed United States international Karim Gore for six, Jeremiah Louis for 11, and Javier Spencer for a duck, all to lbw decisions, and McSween bowled first innings century maker Kofi James for 12 and Rahkeem Cornwall for one to help mop up the tail.
