PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Leg-spinning all-rounder Hayden Walsh starred as Leeward Islands Hurricanes marched to their second win of the Regional Super50 Cup with a 66-run victory over West Indies Academy Saturday.
With his side stumbling at 157 for six in the 35th over, Walsh arrived to top-score with an unbeaten 60 from 55 deliveries, and get his side up to 239 all out in the penultimate over at Queen’s Park Oval.
Then, with WI Academy galloping along at 64 without loss in the 16th over, the 31-year-old intervened with a five-wicket haul to send the innings tumbling to 173 all out off 40 overs.
Openers Kimani Melius (37) and Matthew Nandu (29), along with Teddy Bishop (27) and captain Nyeem Young (25) all got starts but failed to carry on, as the WI Academy run chase came apart spectacularly at the seams during the middle overs.
Sent in here Saturday, Hurricanes recovered from the loss of Kofi James for three in the second over with six runs on the board, courtesy of a 58-run, second wicket partnership between Keacy Carty (37) and Kieran Powell (33)
Both looked in good nick, Carty facing 55 balls and striking four fours and the left-handed Powell counting five fours in another breezy 36-ball knock.
When both perished as Hurricanes lost three wickets for 37 runs, Justin Greaves (39) and Jahmar Hamilton (27) put on 33 for the fourth wicket, to stabilise the innings.
Left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop, who finished with four for 27, knocked over Hamilton and Rahkeem Cornwall (14) to leave Hurricanes stuttering but Walsh rallied the back end well, lashing three fours and three sixes in a critical 66-run, seventh wicket stand with Greaves.
In reply, Melius stroked five fours and a six in a 53-ball knock while Nandu punched four fours off 45 deliveries, the pair posting an impressive 64 for the first wicket to put Hurricanes under pressure.
Walsh’s introduction changed the course of the run chase, however, the out-of-favour West Indies white-ball star (5-48) combining with left-arm spinner Daniel Doram (3-33) to wreck the innings, WI Academy losing four wickets for 13 runs off 40 balls.
Young counter-attacked with three fours in a 30-ball stay as he tried to revive the chase in a 35-run, fifth wicket stand with Ackeem Auguste whose run-a-ball 21 included two sixes.
But once Auguste was run out in the 28th over, failing to regain his ground at the striker’s end after being sent back by Bishop over a quick single to short mid-wicket, WI Academy lost their last six wickets for 61 runs.