The Guyana Harpy Eagles required a valiant effort with the ball, and veteran left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul delivered in spectacular fashion yesterday.
His six-wicket haul on the final day of their third-round CWI Regional 4-Day Championship match against the West Indies Academy ensured the Harpy Eagles secured crucial first-innings points in a rain-marred contest at the National Stadium, Providence.
West Indies Academy resumed day four at 124/4, looking to push past the Harpy Eagles’ first-innings total of 253. Rivaldo Clarke, who started the day on 43, soon reached a well-compiled half-century (81 balls, 7x4s). However, he became the first casualty of the day when he nicked a delivery from Nial Smith behind, departing for 50 and leaving WI-A at 141/5 in the 52nd over.
Despite Clarke’s dismissal, Joshua Bishop and overnight batter Mavindra Dindyal showed resilience. Bishop was aggressive, striking a rapid 54 off just 47 balls with nine fours and a six, while Dindyal played a more measured hand, compiling a patient 32 off 116 deliveries.
Their 60-run partnership offered hope for the visitors, but once Bishop edged Gudakesh Motie to Tevin Imlach, the momentum shifted. Dindyal, the last recognized batter, attempted to guide WI-A past the Harpy Eagles’ total. However, he fell victim to a lapse in concentration, sweeping Permaul straight to Thaddeus Lovell at the boundary. The wicket was a landmark moment for Permaul, marking his 650th first-class scalp.
From 227/7, WI-A edged closer to the Harpy Eagles’ total but fell agonizingly short, bowled out for 249. Permaul wrapped up the tail in emphatic fashion, bowling Johan Layne for 12 before having McKenny Clarke caught at silly point in a decisive 83rd over. Motie applied the finishing touch in the next over, bowling Zishan Motara (22) and sealing first-innings points for Guyana.
Permaul finished with outstanding figures of 6/75 from 29 overs, further cementing his place as the region’s leading wicket-taker (652 wickets) in the four-day format. Motie (2/63) and Smith (2/57) provided solid support.
Just as the Harpy Eagles prepared to begin their second innings, heavy rain halted play at around 3:30 pm. After a lengthy delay, play resumed under lights at 6:30 pm, with the hosts holding a slender lead of four runs.
However, WI-A’s bowlers struck early and hard. Opener Raymond Perez was bowled for a duck by Jediah Blades in the first over, and Matthew Nandu followed suit in the next, nicking Layne behind without scoring. Four balls later, Kevlon Anderson (4) picked out Blades, giving Layne a double-wicket over and reducing the Harpy Eagles to a dire 9/3 after just two overs.
The trouble continued when Kemol Savory (1) had to retire hurt after taking a fierce Layne bouncer to the shoulder, effectively leaving the home side at 15/4. Kevin Sinclair counterattacked briefly with four boundaries in a quickfire 24, but he too fell, caught off Rivaldo Clarke.
With Tevin Imlach (7*) and Ronaldo Alimohamed (0*) battling to stabilize the innings, and rain once again looming, the teams agreed to end the contest.
With persistent rain plaguing the match—only 24 overs were bowled on day one, and day two was completely washed out—the Harpy Eagles will be satisfied with securing first-innings points.
The defending champions now turn their attention to the next challenge, as they prepare to face the Jamaica Scorpions at Sabina Park on March 5.
