Harpy Eagles tighten grip, Red Force back on top

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC)

The Guyana Harpy Eagles and the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force are in strong positions to push for victories in their second-round matches in the West Indies Championships at the halfway stage.

The Harpy Eagles batted the entire second day to build a comfortable first-innings lead over the Windward Islands Volcanoes, while the Red Force have turned the tables on the Leeward Islands Hurricanes following a pulsating day of cricket.

At the Antigua Recreation Ground in Antigua, half-centuries from Kemol Savory and Keemo Paul and solid contributions from Richie Looknauth and Veerasammy Permaul carried the Harpy Eagles to 361 for eight in their first innings and give them an already-imposing first-innings lead of 210 runs.

Resuming the day on 130 for two, the Harpy Eagles lost the wickets of captain Tevin Imlach for nine and overnight batsman Tagenarine Chanderpaul for 35, to slip to 143 for four.

However, Savory and Paul came together to revive the innings during a 96-run partnership that helped to push their lead to 88.

Pacer Ryan John broke the stand by dismissing Paul after he had made 56 off 87 deliveries, but Looknauth kept his side in the driver’s seat by adding a further 43 with Savory.

Hodge breakthrough

Part-time spinner Kavem Hodge was responsible for making the breakthrough, bowling Savory for 72 off 157 balls, and Shadrack Descarte dismissed Gudakesh Motie for one, to leave the score on 293 for seven and give the Volcanoes hope of restricting the first-innings deficit to under 150.

But Looknauth, who made 41, along with Permaul, who is unbeaten on 25, along with Shamar Joseph, who is not out on 10, further frustrated the Volcanoes’ bowlers.

Kenneth Dember has so far taken 3-82, while Descarte has claimed 2-59.

At Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, West Indies fast-bowler Jayden Seales produced a sensational spell of fast bowling to put the Red Force in the ascendancy in their match against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes.

Seales ran through the Hurricanes’ batting lineup in their second innings, snaring all six wickets to fall to reduce them to 136 for six, an overall lead of just 92.

His performance followed a heroic, unbeaten half-century from Jyd Goolie, which helped the Red Force gain an invaluable first-innings lead of 44.

Resuming the day in a perilous position of 85 for six, in response to the Hurricanes’ first innings total of 131, Goolie and captain Joshua Da Silva added a further 26 runs before the latter was bowled by pacer Oshane Thomas for 36.

Justin Greaves then dismissed Anderson Phillip for 12, and Kelvin Pitman had Bryan Charles caught for one with the Red Force level on 131 for nine.

But Seales and Goolie gave their team a crucial advantage by putting on 44 for the last wicket before Pitman finally brought the innings to a close by having Seales caught for 13.

Goolie finished unbeaten on 51 off 95 deliveries. His innings contained six fours and one six.

Debutant Pitman ended with the impressive figures of 6-52 and Thomas, 3-52.

33 for four

Seales then returned to cause chaos by dismissing Kadeem Henry for three and Karima Gore for a duck in the space of three balls, and then had Keacy Carty caught behind for two to see the Hurricanes slump to 21 for three.

It became 33 for four when he bowled Jewel Andrew for one, and Greaves made only six before being trapped lbw, as the Hurricanes tumbled to 43 for five to give the Red Force hope of wrapping up the match inside two days.

However, it was not to be, as opener Mikyle Louis, who made 73 off 129 balls, and Jahmar Hamilton (41 not out), saved them the embarrassment by adding 82 runs for the sixth wicket.

But just as they were looking to rebuild the innings, Seales struck again to dismiss Louis and grab his sixth wicket in the process.

Hamilton and Rahkeem Cornwall, who is on seven not out, carried them to the close of play without any further losses.

Seales has taken 6-33 from 16 overs.