Harpy Eagles happy

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Gudakesh Motie struck contrasting hundreds to punish leaders Barbados Pride on today’s second day of the Regional First Class Championship.

Unbeaten overnight on 64, the left-handed Chanderpaul finished on 140 not out as the Guyana Harpy Eagles piled up a massive 490 for seven declared in their first innings at Queen’s Park Oval.

Motie, more known for his clever left-arm spin, then arrived at number nine to increase Pride’s misery, lashing a cavalier 110 from 118 balls, in a 143-run seventh wicket partnership with Chanderpaul.

In reply, Pride lost Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite (17) and Test batsman Shamarh Brooks (2) cheaply to slip to 48 for two, trailing by 442 runs heading into Friday’s day three.

The Harpy Eagles resumed the morning on 219 for four, and steadily wore Pride down through the unflappable Chanderpaul, who carved out his third first class hundred. All told, the 25-year-old son of Test legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul faced 434 balls in a marathon 10-¾ hours and counted 14 fours.

He extended his fourth wicket stand with Anthony Bramble (38) to 68 before the wicketkeeper/batsman retired hurt, and then put on a further 53 for the sixth wicket with Veerasammy Permaul (34) and the key hundred-run stand with Motie.

 

When Permaul perished at 313 for six to the first ball after lunch, caught at second slip by Brooks off pacer Akeem Jordan (3-108), Pride were sensing a quick end to the Harpy Eagles innings.

But Motie arrived to blast 12 fours and four sixes to post his maiden first class century and scupper Pride’s hopes. His demise did nothing to ease Pride’s worries either, Chanderpaul combining with fast bowler Nial Smith (28 not out) in a frustrating 34-run, eighth wicket stand as the tail continued to wag.

The day did not get any better for Barbados Pride. Captain Brathwaite clipped left-arm spinner Permaul into the hands of short leg before Brooks, desperately in need of runs with the Bangladesh Test series looming, shouldered arms to seamer Keemo Paul and was adjudged lbw, to leave Harpy Eagles very much on top.

At the Diego Martin Complex, Brandon King slammed an impressive unbeaten 119 in only his second regional first class match in two seasons, propelling the Jamaica Scorpions to 346 all out in their first innings.

Jamie Merchant, batting at number 10, belted a robust 58 from 73 balls in an up tempo 109-run, ninth wicket stand to further deflate the Windward Islands Volcanoes, who then reached 101 for three in their second innings at the close – still behind by 108 runs.

The 27-year-old King compiled his third first class hundred as Scorpions rallied after resuming on 118 for four, in reply to Volcanoes’ first innings of 137.

They lost three wickets for 30 runs to be in a hole at 161 for seven but King rescued the innings, adding 58 for the eighth wicket with Aldaine Thomas (20) before turning the game in his century stand with Merchant.

The West Indies white-ball player hit 22 fours off 154 deliveries in nearly 3-½ hours at the crease while Merchant lashed half-dozen fours and three sixes. With West Indies still looking for a reliable opening partner for Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite, King’s ton was a timely reminder of his credentials at the top of the order.

Fast bowlers Preston McSween (4-96) and Josh Thomas (3-56) spearheaded the Volcanoes attack.

Trailing by 209 runs, Volcanoes got 34 from veteran opener Devon Smith and an unbeaten 30 from captain Kavem Hodge, to erase some of the deficit.

West Indies wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva found himself among the runs at the Brian Lara Stadium, top-scoring with 65 but it was not enough to prevent hosts Red Force from conceding a significant first innings lead of 217 runs to Leeward Islands Hurricanes.

Playing at the Tarouba ground, Hurricanes were put in total command by Jeremiah Louis who first slammed 42 not out from 43 deliveries to energise the lower order after the visitors resumed on 308 for seven.

He then produced a deadly new ball burst to send Red Force tumbling to ten for four, going on to finish with figures of four for 32 while pacer Colin Archibald claimed four for 27.

Da Silva struck 11 fours in a 115-ball knock, posting 64 for the seventh wicket with Bryan Charles (25) to prop up the innings.

Test pacer Jayden Seales had earlier finished with five for 49 in the Hurricanes first innings. (CMC)