ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Destructive bowling from pacer Niall Smith and long-serving left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul bowled defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles to a 254-run win against leaders Windward Islands Volcanoes in the West Indies Championship yesterday in Antigua.
This unfolded after their captain Tevin Imlach completed his second first-class hundred of 107, and West Indies Test opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul did the same with an undefeated 101, and the Harpy Eagles declared their second innings on 224 for two about 35 minutes after the scheduled lunch interval on the third day of their fifth-round match at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.
Smith then bagged five for 29 from 11 overs, and Permaul supported with five for 47 from 24.2 overs, and the Volcanoes, chasing 419 to win, were bowled out for 164 in their second innings.
Barbadian all-rounder Shamar Springer hit an unbeaten 69 to lead the way for the Volcanoes, his 2016 Under-19 World Cup-winning teammate Ryan John supported with 41, and new West Indies Test batsman Kavem Hodge got 21 – but no other batsman reached 20.
Springer and John added 68 for the seventh wicket either side of tea, but Permaul trapped John lbw in the scheduled final hour of the day, and Harpy Eagles duly claimed extra time to deliver the knockout punch.
Permaul formalised the result about 55 minutes after the scheduled close when he got last man Darius Martin stumped for one to condemn the Volcanoes to their second successive defeat after they opened the season with three consecutive wins.
Smith tightened the grip of the Harpy Eagles on the match when he snared three wickets before tea.
The 28-year-old struck with his first delivery when he held a return catch to dismiss Kimani Melius for three in the second over, bowled Trinidadian left-handed opener Jeremy Solozano for a 17-ball duck in his fourth over, and trapped West Indies left-hander Alick Athanaze lbw for a three-ball duck in his fifth over.
In between, Permaul got Hodge caught at mid-wicket for 21, and Volcanoes slumped to 35 for four at the break.
After tea, Smith got the ball rolling again when he bowled Test batsman Sunil Ambris for six with the third ball after the break, and Permaul got Barbadian wicketkeeper-batsman Tevyn Walcott caught at mid-on for two from an ill-advised slog-sweep five overs later.
Volcanoes were 45 for six, and John came to the crease and resisted the Harpy Eagles for an hour-and-a-half and shared with Springer before Permaul removed him, exposing the tail-end of the batting to the Harpy Eagles.
Permaul held a return catch to dismiss Larry Edward for two, but Darel Cyrus came and frustrated the Harpy Eagles for about half-hour before Smith returned and got him caught at first slip for nine, bringing Martin to the crease.
Earlier, Harpy Eagles started the day on 168 for one, and Imlach, a recent West Indies Test selectee, and Chanderpaul, the son of former Guyana and West Indies captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul, took their time to reach their landmarks knowing that their side had more than enough time to push for victory.
Imlach, not out on 88 overnight, reached his hundred from 223 balls when he whipped Martin through mid-wicket for two before John had him caught low down at point in the penultimate over before Harpy Eagles reached 210 for two at lunch.
Chanderpaul, not out on 78 overnight, reached his hundred from 243 balls when he drove Springer to mid-on for a single in the sixth over after the interval before Harpy Eagles soon after declared.
Harpy Eagles face hosts Jamaica Scorpions in the sixth round, starting on April 10 at Sabina Park, and Volcanoes will try to get their title bid back on track when they meet hosts Cricket West Indies Academy at Coolidge.
