ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Half-centuries from opener Raymond Perez and their captain Tevin Imlach enabled defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles to formalise an eight-wicket win against hosts Combined Campuses & Colleges Marooners yesterday and fortify their chances of winning the West Indies Championship title for a second year on the trot.
It was one of two wins on the third day in the seventh and final round of matches after a brilliant career-best spell from off-spinner Bryan Charles propelled Trinidad & Tobago Red Force to an innings and 125 runs victory against hosts Jamaica Scorpions.
Perez led the way with an unbeaten 79, Imlach scored 50, and West Indies Test opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul made 42, and Harpy Eagles passed their target of 181 against the Marooners about an hour before the scheduled close at Frank Worrell Field on the St Augustine campus of the University of West Indies in Trinidad.
Harpy Eagles were one of four teams that had realistic hopes of clinching the Headley-Weekes Trophy, symbol of West Indies first-class supremacy, before the start of this round of matches if there are any foul-up, bleeps, or blunders from the other three title contenders.
Earlier, the visitors needed a little under an hour to dismiss the Marooners for 203 in their second innings with pacer Niall Smith taking two of the last three wickets.
Out-of-favour West Indies batsman Shamarh Brooks finished with the top score of 59 – adding only five to his overnight score – after Marooners started the day on 165 for seven.
Charles bagged seven for 43 from 13.4 overs, and Scorpions, following on 243 behind on first innings, were bowled out for 118 in their second innings about 10 minutes before the scheduled tea break at Sabina Park to hand victory to Red Force.
The 28-year-old off-spinner ended with the seventh best figures by a Red Force bowler in the modern era of the West Indies Championship (1966 onwards), and his match figures of 13 for 125 were the fourth best for the side during the same period.
Newcomer Javaughan Buchanan led the way for Scorpions with 33, and opener Carlos Brown made 22, but no other batsman reached 20.
Scorpions had started the day on 159 for nine in their first innings, and the last wicket pair of Jeavor Royal, whose 46 was the top score, and Andrae Dennis, not out on 12, frustrated Red Force for about half-hour to put on a further 30.
Left-arm spinner Khary Pierre brought the innings to a close when he bowled Royal and ended with three for 57 from 24.4 overs.
Elsewhere, leaders Windward Islands Volcanoes require another 304 to beat fellow second-placed title hopefuls Leeward Islands Hurricanes at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad and clinch the title.
Opener Stephan Pascal was not out on 60 and Johann Jeremiah was not out on 28, and Volcanoes were 112 for one in their second innings at the close, after they lost Trinidadian left-hander Jeremy Solozano for 18 to left-arm spinner Daniel Doram.
Pascal and Solozano put on 70 for the first wicket to launch the Volcanoes bid for victory after they bowled out the Hurricanes about 15 minutes before the scheduled tea break for 294 in their second innings.
West Indies white-ball batsman Keacy Carty made 65 and led consistent batting down the order for the Hurricanes after they continued from their bedtime total of 111 for two.
West Indies batsman Justin Greaves got 27, West Indies Under-19 wicketkeeper-batsman Jewel Andrew supplied 26, fellow wicketkeeper-batsman Jahmar Hamilton added 23, Oshane Thomas made 21, and Colin Archibald gathered 20.
Kavem Hodge was the pick of the Volcanoes bowlers with three for 60 from 19 overs, pacer Gilon Tyson grabbed three for 91 from 20.2 overs, and pacer Shamar Springer and off-spinner Darel Cyrus took two wickets apiece.
West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite missed out on a hundred, and rain held up Barbados Pride, the other title hopeful, in their effort to force a win against hosts Cricket West Indies Academy at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.
Only 52 overs were possible because of the adverse weather, and Brathwaite fell for 90 and was the rock upon which Pride have built their second innings total of 228 for five for a lead of 138 so far against the emerging players side.
Out-of-favour West Indies all-rounder Raymon Reifer was not out on 43, and former West Indies Under-19 batsman Kevin Wickham made 35.
Barbadian left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop has been the pick of the Academy bowlers taking three for 43 from 27 overs.