ST JOHN’S, Antigua – A splendid unbeaten hundred from Keacy Carty and a lower order cameo from Hayden Walsh Jr, condemned Barbados Pride to their second straight defeat as Leewards Islands Hurricanes romped to a convincing three-wicket victory in the Regional Super50 Cup tonight.
In pursuit of a difficult 302 for victory at Coolidge Cricket Ground, Hurricanes overhauled their target with three balls to spare to pick up their first points of the campaign following an opening day loss to neighbours Windward Islands Volcanoes.
At the forefront of the run chase was former Under-19 World Cup hero, Keacy Carty, who produced a masterclass with a run-a-ball 123 not out, striking nine fours and three sixes, to notch his maiden List A hundred.
He got support from Canadian Nitish Kumar who followed up his hundred on Sunday with 41 off 49 deliveries while Walsh thumped a nine-ball 28 and opener Kieran Powell, 29.
Pride were still in control with Hurricanes on 256 for five in the 46th over and requiring a further 56 to win from 24 balls but Walsh single-handedly smashed 26 from the 47th over sent down by speedster Chemar Holder, to transform the complexion of the run chase.
He eventually fell in the 48th over but Carty remained to steer Hurricanes over the line and drew praise from his captain Devon Thomas.
“I think it is one of the best innings I’ve seen from him. At the start he was struggling at first but after he got in he kept on going,” Thomas said.
West Indies batsman Shamarh Brooks had earlier perished agonisingly short of a maiden List A hundred when he top-scored with a sparkling 96 off 88 deliveries as Pride gathered 301 for eight from their 50 overs after opting to bat.
Veteran left-hander Jonathan Carter chimed in with 58 off 91 balls while rookie opener Zachary McCaskie hit 40, Justin Greaves, 38 and West Indies all-rounder Roston Chase, 33.
Pride were 290 for four at the start of the 47th over but lost four wickets for nine runs off 15 deliveries as their innings stuttered late on.
Fast bowler Quinton Boatswain, who claimed Jason Holder (2) and Chase in successive deliveries in the 48th over, finished with four for 52 while Walsh claimed three for 75 with his leg spin.
A sombre Jason Holder said his side made too many mistakes, both when they batted and in their defence of a solid total.
“I thought Shamarh batted really well, had a good partnership with Jonathan and then in the back end I thought we lost too many wickets,” he lamented.
“Having said that, I still thought we should have defended [the total] but we let ourselves down a bit in the field, dropped a few chances and at the back end our bowling probably wasn’t the best.”
McCaskie and Greaves put on 82 off 74 deliveries for the first wicket before both fell in successive overs but Brooks and Carter combined in a 160-run, third wicket stand to keep Pride on course for a competitive total.
While Brooks struck eight fours and a six, Carter notched four fours and a six before holing out to deep mid-wicket off Walsh in the 42nd over.
With a century in sight, Brooks missed a pull at a short ball in Walsh’s next over and was lbw.
In reply, Kieran Powell and Ross Powell (21) posted 55 off 71 balls to lay the foundation before both perished five balls apart in successive overs.
Man-of-the-Match Carty entered at number four to inspire successive half-century stands as he added 98 for the third with Kumar and 63 for the fourth wicket with Thomas (23).
When Thomas scooped Jason Holder (2-58) to short fine leg and Amir Jangoo (6) hit a Chemar Holder (2-71) full toss to mid off, Hurricanes wobbled at 231 in the 45th over but Walsh arrived to belt a four and three sixes and put on 42 off 16 balls with Carty, and haul his side back into the game.
On 91 at the start of the 45th over, Carty reached his century by driving Jason Holder to the long off boundary and then swatting him over mid-wicket for another four, before taking a sharp single into the on side.
With the game still in the balance, he added a sensible 32 with Terrance Warde (9 not out) and with only four needed from the final over, Hurricanes never wavered. (CMC)
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