ST JOHN’S, CMC – A majestic, maiden first-class double hundred from opener Kirk McKenzie and a composed maiden first-class hundred from Kevin Wickham led dominant West Indies Academy batting against Team Weekes in the second match of the Headley-Weekes Tri-Series yesterday in Antigua.
McKenzie was undefeated on 209 and Wickham was unbeaten on 104, as the Academy reached 378 for four, replying to the Team Weekes first innings total of 401, at the close on the third day of the four-day, first-class match at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.
Left-hander McKenzie reached his milestone from 340 balls when he slapped a delivery from Test left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul through cover for his 25th four, and Wickham reached his landmark soon after from 196 balls with a languid, lofted drive over long-off for six off the same bowler.
McKenzie, 22, who made his first-class debut last year for Jamaica Scorpions, cracked 25 fours and one six from 365 balls and was a model of concentration during his seven hours and 40 minutes stay in the middle.
Wickham, 20, who made his first-class debut for Barbados Pride coincidentally against a Scorpions line-up that included McKenzie this past February at this same venue, has struck only eight fours and one six from 223 balls and was a reliable ally in 4-1/4 hours at the crease.
The former West Indies Under-19 pair hardly put a foot wrong after they came together in the second hour of the day when Kevlon Anderson and Tevin Imlach fell to their Guyana Harpy Eagles off-spin bowling teammate Kevin Sinclair in the span 10 balls, and Team Weekes were 149 for four.
McKenzie and Wickham batted for the rest of the day, sharing 229 unbroken for the fifth wicket and enabling the Academy to make enough progress to feel confident of taking the inaugural Tri-Series title after last week’s defeat of Team Headley. The Academy started the day on 89 for two, and Team Weekes got an early signal that they may endure a long, hard grind when McKenzie and Anderson batted through the first hour and completed an 81-run stand for the third wicket.
Sinclair got the breakthrough when he had Anderson caught at forward short leg for 26 in his fourth over, and followed up when he had Imlach caught at cover for a third-ball duck in his next over, but Team Weekes failed to make further headway after McKenzie and Wickham knuckled down.
