Red Force routed

TAROUBA, Trinidad – Leaders Barbados Pride took a giant step towards the successful defence of their Regional First Class crown when they clobbered archrivals Trinidad and Tobago Red Force by an innings and 22 runs inside three days today.

The hosts resumed the morning at the Brian Lara Stadium on 51 for three in their second innings and still requiring a further 110 runs to avoid an innings defeat. However, they failed to produce the resilience required, folding meekly for 139 in the first hour after lunch.

Left-hander Yannic Cariah, who struck a hundred in the last round, top-scored with an unbeaten 35 while Keagan Simmons chipped in with 31. Red Force were undermined by off-spinner Roston Chase (3-26) and the seam duo of Justin Greaves (3-27) and Akeem Jordan (3-32), all of whom finished with three wickets each.

Pride struck as early as the morning’s second over when Jason Mohammed drove loosely at Chase and was bowled between bat and pad, after adding four to his overnight six.

And Simmons, on 26 at the start, followed with the score on 64 for five, lobbing a forward defensive prod at Chase into Shayne Moseley’s hands at silly point.

The best stand of the innings then materialised, Cariah putting on 42 for the sixth wicket with Test wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva who spent nearly an hour at the crease and 39 balls over 14.

And Red Force were beginning to regain their balance somewhat when Da Silva flashed at a wide one from Jordan and was taken low in front first slip by opposite number Shane Dowrich.

On 112 for six at lunch, Red Force put up little resistance afterwards as Jordan and Greaves shared the last four wickets to fall. Cariah remained until the end, his innings lasting a shade over 2-¼ hours, consuming 89 deliveries and including five fours.

Meanwhile, contrasting hundreds from the left-handed pair of Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Vishaul Singh underpinned a stunning Guyana Harpy Eagles batting effort, helping them turn the tables on Jamaica Scorpions on the penultimate day of their fourth-round contest.

The 25-year-old son of Test legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul carved out a characteristically patient career-best 184 while the 33-year-old Vishaul struck a better than run-a-ball 100 not out as Harpy Eagles piled up an imposing 584 for seven at the Diego Martin Complex.

Tevin Imlach (79) and captain Leon Johnson (57) also gathered half-centuries to carry Harpy Eagles to a healthy 191-run, first innings lead heading into Saturday’s final day.

It was Harpy Eagles’ enterprise which caught the attention after they resumed from their overnight 213 for one in response to Scorpions’ 393.

Chanderpaul, on the back of his previous career-best of 140 in the last round, once again turned in a mammoth effort as he posted a massive 180 for the second wicket with Imlach, 94 with Johnson for the third wicket and 57 for the fourth wicket with Vishaul. All told, Chanderpaul struck 27 fours off 425 balls in just shy of 9-1/2 hours, completing his fourth first class century.

Imlach, unbeaten on 38 at the start, counted nine fours and a six off 198 deliveries in five hours while Johnson scored at a fair clip, punching eight fours in his 72-ball knock.

Chanderpaul’s dismissal, pulling fast bowler Nicholson Gordon (4-122) to mid-wicket attempting to up the tempo, saw two wickets go down in the space of 14 balls for eight runs but Vishaul counter-attacked, striking 13 fours off just 85 balls to fashion a high quality ninth first class hundred.

Leeward Islands Hurricanes were also well poised ahead of the final day at Queen’s Park Oval, setting Windward Islands Volcanoes an improbable 413 for victory and then reducing them to 127 for three in their second innings.

Resuming the morning on 64 for two, Hurricanes racked up 252 for eight declared with Devon Thomas top-scoring with 51, Ross Powell hitting 40 and captain Rahkeem Cornwall chipping in with 38.

In reply, Kimani Melius wasted a start when he was dismissed for 51 but captain Kavem Hodge was holding firm on 25 at the close, Cornwall leading Hurricanes’ attack with two for 20.

Hurricanes, meanwhile, flourished through a 73-run third wicket stand, Thomas lashing a quick-fire 45-ball half-century knock which included a four and three sixes in alliance with Ross Powell.

They fell within 25 balls of each other but Amir Jangoo and Jahmar Hamilton, both of whom made 24, put on 38 for the fifth wicket to steady the innings.

Fast bowler Darius Martin (3-94) triggered a slide where three wickets tumbled for 54 runs but Cornwall engineered a 54-run, eighth wicket partnership with Terrance Warde (18 not out) to further frustrate Volcanoes.

Faced with a daunting target, Melius lashed nine fours and a brace of sixes in a cameo 58-ball knock, putting on 45 for the first wicket with veteran Devon Smith (12).

When three wickets went down for 51 runs, Hodge and Ackeem Auguste (18 not out) combined in an unbroken 31-run, fourth wicket stand to see their side to the safety of the close. (CMC)