Harpy Eagles in command, Hurricanes strike back

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC):

Defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles dominated the opening day of the second-round contest against the Windward Islands Volcanoes in the West Indies Championship yesterday.

The Harpy Eagles bundled out the Volcanoes for a meagre 151 and by the end of play had erased most of that deficit and need just 22 more runs to gain a first-innings lead.

Elsewhere, the Leeward Islands Hurricanes’ bowlers did well to fight back in their match against the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force following another disappointing batting performance.

At the Antigua Recreation Ground, medium-pacer Nial Smith grabbed a five-wicket haul as the Harpy Eagles used a strong bowling performance to leave the Volcanoes on the back foot after day one.

Smith wrecked the Volcanoes’ top order on his way to finishing with the impressive figures of 5-36, as they could only muster 151 in 37.1 overs after being sent in to bat.

Led by Matthew Nandu’s half-century, the Harpy Eagles then cruised to 130 for two at the end of the day’s play, trailing their opponents by just 21 runs.

The Harpy Eagles, however, owed their position to Smith along with pacers Keemo Paul and Shamar Joseph.

Paul accounted for the wicket of Ackeem Auguste before Smith caused havoc by dismissing Johann Jeremiah, Kavem Hodge and Alick Athanaze to leave the Volcanoes 17 for four.

And when Paul returned to snare the wicket of Shadrack Descarte for just one, they fell into further trouble at 21 for five.

It took a 68-run partnership between Noelle Leo, who made 36, and Sunil Ambris, who scored 35, to rescue the innings and help add some respectability to the total.

When Smith returned to dismiss Leo, the Volcanoes got decent contributions from Ryan John, who top-scored with 37, and Kenneth Dember, who scored 18, with their last three wickets adding 57 valuable runs.

Paul ended with 2-46, while Joseph took 2-52

Nandu and Tagenarine Chanderpaul then shared an opening stand of 64 to give the Harpy Eagles a solid start.

Dember removed the former after he had scored 54 off 65 balls with eight fours and one six, but Kevlon Anderson added 61 with Chanderpaul to keep the Harpy Eagles in control.

Dember eventually trapped Anderson lbw for 41, but the Harpy Eagles lost no further wickets.

Chanderpaul has so far scored a patient 29 off 129 balls.

Dember has claimed 2-34 for the Volcanoes.

At Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, the Hurricanes will be satisfied with their position against the Red Force on a day that their batters produced another dismal showing.

Pacer Anderson Phillip looked to have put the visitors in a commanding position after his six-wicket haul routed the home side for just 131 in 39.3 overs.

However, fast-bowlers Kelvin Pitman and Oshane Thomas brought their team back into the match, taking all six Red Force wickets to fall, to leave them reeling on 85 for six.

Karima Gore was the only batter to offer any resistance to the Red Force’s bowlers, scoring a fighting 57 off 90 balls, as none of the other batters had an answer for Phillip.

The Red Force then looked to be strolling to an easy first-innings lead on 43 for one, despite losing the early wicket of Cephas Cooper.

But in a stunning turn of events, Jyd Goolie’s decision to retire hurt sparked a collapse that saw the Red Force lose five wickets for 26 runs.

Pitman was the main instigator, claiming the scalps of Jason Mohammed, Terrance Hinds and Khary Pierre, while Thomas dismissed Evin Lewis and Amir Jangoo, to turn the match on its heels at 69 for six.

Skipper Joshua Da Silva is unbeaten on 16, and the Red Force’s hopes of overhauling the Hurricanes will rest squarely on his shoulders.

Pitman ended with 4-20 from 10 impressive overs. Thomas supported with 2-32.