West Indies Academy Opens Fourth Round with Promising Start.

The fourth round of matches in the West Indies regional four-day cricket competition witnessed compelling battles across various venues. The Windward Islands Volcanoes dominated the Leeward Islands Hurricanes, thanks to a maiden first-class century by Shadrack Descarte. Descarte’s impressive 119 off 188 balls anchored the Volcanoes’ innings, rescuing them from a precarious 132 for five. His partnerships with Gian Benjamin (30) and Ryan John (71 not out) propelled the Volcanoes to a commanding 364 for seven at the close of play. Hurricanes pacer Oshane Thomas had earlier made inroads into the Volcanoes’ top order, claiming four early wickets.

At Kensington Oval, the Barbados Pride staged a remarkable comeback against the Combined Colleges and Campuses (CCC), thanks largely to Roston Chase’s five-wicket haul. Damel Evelyn notched up his maiden first-class century, scoring 110 off 202 balls, and, alongside Kieran Powell (45), looked to have set the CCC on course for a substantial total. However, Chase’s off-spin proved devastating, triggering a lower-order collapse as the CCC lost their last seven wickets for a mere 53 runs. Chase’s 5 for 70, supported by Jomel Warrican’s 3 for 76, restricted the CCC to 262. The Pride ended the day on 29 without loss, trailing by 233 runs.

The West Indies Academy gained the upper hand against the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at the Coolidge Cricket Ground, despite rain curtailing play. Johann Layne’s impressive four-wicket haul for just 20 runs put the Red Force on the back foot, leaving them struggling at 129 for six at the close of play. The Red Force’s innings never truly gained momentum, with early wickets setting them back. Jason Mohammed top-scored with 32, while Joshua Da Silva and Khary Pierre were unbeaten on 30 and 24 respectively, attempting a late recovery.

At Sabina Park, the Guyana Harpy Eagles and Jamaica Scorpions engaged in a closely fought contest. Kevlon Anderson’s resolute century (100 off 161 balls) before retiring hurt, along with Matthew Nandu’s patient 61, provided the backbone of the Harpy Eagles’ innings. Their 137-run partnership for the second wicket laid a solid foundation, taking the Harpy Eagles to a promising 192 for one. However, Odean Smith’s two late wickets pegged back the Harpy Eagles, who ended the day on 260 for five, leaving the match delicately poised.

In summary, across the four matches, individual brilliance, coupled with team efforts, shaped the course of the first day’s play. Descarte’s century for the Volcanoes, Chase’s five-wicket haul for the Pride, Layne’s incisive bowling for the Academy, and Anderson’s century for the Harpy Eagles were the highlights. The matches witnessed fluctuating fortunes, with teams gaining and losing momentum at various stages, setting the stage for intriguing second day battles. The contrasting fortunes of the teams highlighted the competitive nature of the tournament, with every match promising a captivating contest for cricketing supremacy.

The scores at the end of day one provided a snapshot of the state of play. Barbados Pride trailed CCC by 233 runs with all ten wickets intact. Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, despite their struggles, held a lead of 129 runs over the West Indies Academy with four wickets remaining. Windward Islands Volcanoes commanded a substantial lead of 364 runs over the Leeward Islands Hurricanes with three wickets in hand. Guyana Harpy Eagles, despite losing late wickets, held a lead of 260 runs over Jamaica Scorpions, setting the stage for an exciting second day’s play.