West Indies 4-day C/ships… Hurricanes on top after blowing away Harpy Eagles for 116

Feb 16, 2022 Sports

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Powell (55) & Hodge (51) put Islanders in full control

Kaieteur News –
By Sean Devers
In the middle of the dry season in Trinidad, the Leewards Hurricanes, led by an unfinished century opening stand from Kieran Powell and Montcin Hodge, were in total control against Guyana Harpy Eagles on the opening day of their second round of the West Indies First Class tournament at the Queen’s Park Oval yesterday.
Despite a fighting 50-run stand between Wicket-Keeper Anthony Bramble who made an attacking 38 from 39 balls with five fours and two sixes and Keemo Paul, whose 20 lasted 17 balls with two fours, the joint leaders were skittled out for 116 as poor shot selection helped to orchestrate their demise.
Apart from Test Batsmen, Skipper Leon Johnson and Vishaul Singh, most of the others threw their wickets away with injudicious shots as left-arm spinner Daniel Doram (3-16), left-arm pacer Colin Archibald (3-29) and West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph (2-26) did the damage.
When bad light stopped play the Volcanoes were 126 without loss, enjoying a lead of 10.
The 31-year-old Powell on 55 from 114 balls with seven fours and 34 year-old Hodge on 51 from 168 balls decorated five boundaries.
When Volcanoes began their reply before empty stands and under blue skies, Powell got going with a boundary as he and Hodge carried their score to 45 without loss by Tea.
Powell was on 13 and Hodge on 18 with both batsmen reaching the boundary twice.
After Tea, Powell stroked Permaul to long-on to post the 50 while Hodge played the supporting role.
The left handed Powell, who played 44 Tests, danced into West Indies left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul and dispatched him past mid-off for four as both batsmen played confidently with several good shots on both sides of the wicket.
The century stand was posted when Powell off drove Gudakesh Motie for a single to reach his 39th50, while Hodge stroked Motie past cover for three to reach his 31st50 from 156 balls.
Earlier, after opting to bat on a good track, Hemraj (9) was taken at cover at 16-1, playing a loose drive off Jerimiah Louis to trigger a dramatic collapse which saw the Harpy Eagles quickly sink to 37-5.
Shimron Hetmyer played his first ball into the ground and as it ballooned behind him and was about fall onto the wicket when he swatted it away with his left hand.
Realising what he had instinctively done, Hetymer, recently bought by the Rajasthan Royals for US1,130,500, immediately tucked his bat under his arm and slowly walked off the QPO’s sward to become the first West Indian batsman to be dismissed ‘Obstructing the field’ since the ‘Handle the ball’ Law was changed.
At 16-2 Johnson joined Tagenarine Chanderpaul who, a run later, meekly steered one to Gully after making five from 17 balls as Joseph, another IPL pick, struck.
It was soon 27-4 when Johnson (2) got a good ball from Joseph and drove at one that left him and was brilliantly taken by a diving Jomal Hamilton, in front of second slip.
Bramble got off the mark from a firm push off Joseph past mid-off before pushing forward to a ‘flipper’ from the burly Rakeem Cornwall and edged the ball just out of the reach of first slip for a fortuitous boundary.
Singh, who fell on 93 in the first game, got a ball from Archibald that left him and was taken at second slip for eight as Harpy Eagles stumbled to 37-5.
Bramble deposited Cornwall for six before a confident appeal for caught at short leg was turned down.
Bramble’s big drive at left-arm seamer at Archibald, took the inside and speed across the fast outfield to the fine-leg boundary to bring up the 50.
Paul who made 73 in their one wicket win over the Volcanoes, reversed swept Cornwall for four before Bramble who hit an unbeaten 196 at Providence against the Hurricanes, lofted Archibald over long off for six.
Bramble edged a cut at Doram for four, while Paul stroked Archibald for a boundary as the partnership began to build.
But just before Lunch, Bramble edged Archibald to the keeper at 87-6 before Paul (20) got one that turned from Doram and was taken at slip by Cornwall two runs later.
At Lunch, Guyana were 89-7 with Permaul and Clinton Pestano at the crease.
After Lunch Permaul, Guyana’s first match Hero, tapped Jerimiah Louis to point for a single to post the 100, but 12 runs later Pestano (14) pulled Doram to short mid-wicket.
Motie (4) played an irresponsible shot off Doram and was taken at cover as Guyana sunk to 116-9 before Permaul (11), looking to take on Archibald, was caught in the deep without addition to the score to end an inept batting display from the Guyanese.
Today is the second day.
Match summaries on Day 1 of Round 2 of matches in the West Indies Championship.
At Kensington Oval: Jamaica Scorpions 299-3 (John Campbell 123 not out, Paul Palmer 76 not out, Nkrumah Bonner 49, Leroy Lugg 39) vs Barbados Pride.
At Queen’s Park Oval: Guyana Harpy Eagles 116 (Anthony Bramble 38, Keemo Paul 20; Daniel Doram 3-16, Colin Archibald 3-29) Leeward Islands Hurricanes 126-0 (Kieran Powell 55 not out, Montcin Hodge 51 not out).
At Brian Lara Stadium: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force 217-5 (Yannic Cariah 72, Jeremy Solozano 66, Joshua Da Silva 52 not out; Sherman Lewis 3-24).

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