ST CATHERINE, Jamaica, (CMC) - The Leewards XI paced themselves well and played consistently throughout the day to beat the Windward Islands and secure their first victory in the 2003 Red Stripe Bowl at Chedwin Park yesterday.
Having restricted the Windward Islands to 206 for eight off 50 overs, the Leewards XI made comfortable work of the total, in the end raising 207 for five from 45 overs, with Carl Tuckett spearheading the chase with a purposeful 71 not out.
The Leewards XI sprang a surprise on the Windwards openers early by opening the bowling with left-arm spinner Frank Munzac.
The strategy paid off handsomely as Munzac was tight and went for very few runs, getting one wicket for 22 runs from 10 overs.
The Devon Smith/Romel Currency combination hung on for 24 overs to put on 71 cautious runs.
Currency carried the innings for the first half, getting 53 runs with two fours from 91 balls.
Smith looked out of sorts, giving one chance on 12 and generally feeling for the ball, but still managed a decent score of 38 -- with one boundary -- from 82 balls, while all-rounder Darren Sammy, promoted in the order to number four, contributed 33 from 50 balls.
Rawl Lewis, playing with assurance from the start of his innings, struck Elsroy Powell for a punching four over point and then heaved the second ball over wide mid-on for a six.
He struck another six in his quick innings of 23 from 21 balls.
West Indies rookie off-spinner Omari Banks led the wicket-takers for the Leewards XI, capturing three wickets during his 10 overs, which cost 55 runs.
Chaka Hodge, another off-spinner, hauled in two wickets for 38 runs from his 10 overs, while Alex Adams gave good service from nine overs for 36 runs, dislodging debutant batsman Alvin La Feuille for eight.
The Leewards got off to a horrid start, losing three wickets inside 18 runs.
Adams and Shane Jeffers went in identical fashion but to different bowlers in the first and second overs respectively.
Adams (0) tried to cut Cameron Cuffy and edged thickly through to wicketkeeper Junior Murray, while it was the same story for Jeffers (4) in the second over bowled by the pacy Fernix Thomas.
Runako Morton then tried to hook a very quick Fernix Thomas delivery that climbed on his bat and landed into Currency's hands at square leg.
When leg-spinner Olanzo Jackson came into the attack, captain Stuart Williams greeted him with a four then a six, both over wide mid-on.
Williams, the out-of-favour West Indies opener, did almost the same to Lewis when he came on, lofting the Grenadian high for a long off six, but the very next ball he attempted a repeat and was caught on the boundary by Currency.
Williams had, by then, added a breezy 75 runs with Tonito Willett to take the Leewards up to 93.
Tuckett and Willett then worked well in tandem, putting on a priceless 78 runs before Willett tried to send the ball sailing out of the park for his second six when he was hauled in by Thomas on the mid-wicket boundary off the bowling of left-arm pacer Kenroy Peters.
Willett played with growing confidence for the Leewards XI's first 50 this year, getting up to 55 from 75 balls -- collecting six fours in the process, along with the one six.
Tuckett, meanwhile provided sustained support and took charge once the fifth wicket fell at 171, and along with Banks (10 not out), got the Leewards past the 206 with five overs to spare.
Tuckett's 100-ball innings, which included six fours and a six, was unquestionably the mainstay which more than anything else took the game away from the Windwards, who will now have to beat Trinidad and Tobago and hope that Jamaica do the same for them to stand a chance of getting into the semifinals.
The competition continues today with hosts Jamaica taking on the winless Canada at Port Esquivel.