Harpy Eagles in control as Savory, Anderson punish Bajan bowlers

Kevlon Anderson gets on the front foot to a low
delivery. He is on 87 not out and will be looking to get to his third first-class century today when play resumes. 
Kevlon Anderson gets on the front foot to a low delivery. He is on 87 not out and will be looking to get to his third first-class century today when play resumes. 

CWI Regional 4-Day Championship

By Michaelangelo Jacobus

Unbeaten half-centuries from Guyana Harpy Eagles skipper Kemol Savory and middle-order batsman Kevlon Anderson ensured that the home team dominated the Barbados Pride bowlers on a thoroughly one-sided day two of their first round CWI Regional 4-Day encounter at an empty Providence National Stadium, East Bank Demerara.

After bowling out Barbados for 346 on Wednesday, the Guyanese faced what initially looked like a challenging task of overhauling that total yesterday. However, the Harpy Eagles top order stood tall and by stumps, they had reduced the first innings deficit to just 31 runs with seven wickets still intact. This was largely thanks to Savory (95 not out) and Anderson (87 not out), who shared an unbroken stand of 179. 

Before the Savory and Anderson show, openers Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Matthew Nandu laid out a solid opening partnership of 61 before Nandu fell caught and bowled in the 18th over to off spinner Chaim Holder for a good-looking 36 (54 balls) which included three boundaries and two maximums.

Guyana Harpy Eagles skipper Kemol Savory was rock solid in defence during his unbeaten 95 at the Providence National Stadium.

Raymond Perez joined Chanderpaul and together the duo took the Harpy Eagles to lunch without further loss at 92/1.

When play resumed after lunch, both Perez and Chanderpaul fell quickly to leave the Harpy Eagles in a potentially shaky position at 136/3. Chanderpaul was the first to go, nicking Jair McAllister behind, dismissed for a patient 40 (119 balls, 6x4s) while Perez was caught and bowled by spinner Javed Leacock. Perez fell just four runs short of his half-century in an innings that included seven fours.

With Anderson and Savory both fresh at the crease, the Barbados bowlers tried to apply pressure but the pair remained unfazed with different approaches. Where the left-handed Savory was initially aggressive, his approach complemented Anderson’s rock-solid defence. As their partnership grew, so too did their dominance of the tired-looking Bajan attack. Savory struck 14 boundaries and a maximum in his unbeaten 95 which has spanned 135 balls thus far. Anderson on the other hand, will resume today on 87 (125 balls, 14x4s) with the team on 315/3 (87 Overs). Both batsmen will be eyeing their third first-class tons when play resumes today and from a team perspective, the Harpy Eagles will be looking to get a healthy lead as they seek to begin their regional 4-day title defence on a winning note.

The Barbados Pride bowlers have seen lean returns thus far with Chaim Holder bowling a marathon 23 overs and capturing 1/68 while Leacock and McAllister also have a wicket each.

WI Academy vs Leeward Islands Hurricanes

Over at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, the Leeward Islands Hurricanes are firmly in charge of their match against the West Indies Academy. They hold a mammoth second innings lead of 347 runs with six wickets in hand heading into the third day. Earlier they had posted 358 in their first innings and are now 134/4 in the second innings after skittling the West Indies Academy for a paltry 145.

Jamaica Scorpions vs Windward Islands Volcanoes

Similarly, the Jamaica Scorpions hold the upper hand in their game against the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Arnos Vale Ground in St. Vincent & the Grenadines. After compiling 337 in their first innings, Jamaica bowled out the Volcanoes for 195 and are now 72/1 in their second innings with a strong lead of 214 runs.