ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, (CMC) - Windward Islands were on the verge of victory over West Indies-B in their final preliminary round match of the Carib Beer 2004 Cricket Series at Queen’s Park Stadium yesterday and establishing themselves in the semifinals.
West Indies-B were 175 for six in their second innings when stumps were drawn on day three, after consistent batting right down the order paved the way for Windwards to reach 427, replying to the B-Team's first innings total of 197.
Austin Richards, Jr. has hit 59 to top-score for West Indies-B so far, but three wickets for 19 runs from 14 overs to Fernix Thomas and two for 31 from 12 overs to Darren Sammy seriously undermined any attempts at a comeback story the development side had in mind.
Sammy bowled B-Team captain Jason Haynes for 13 and had Shawn Findlay caught hitting out for 25 as the visitors went to tea on 71 for three.
In-between, Thomas had Ryan Ramdass caught behind for 21.
After the break, Richards plundered the Windwards’ bowling and formed a meaningful partnership with Danza Hyatt that added 79 for the fourth wicket.
Just when it looked like they would runaway with it, Thomas stepped in to remove them both. Hyatt was adjudged lbw for 25 and Richards was caught behind.
Gregory Mahabir and Kenroy Williams continued to frustrate the Windwards with a stand of 31, but the home team was fortuitously given the breakthrough they so badly wanted.
Mahabir was run-out for 18 in the closing stages to put the Windwards firmly in position to make a bid to achieve their objective of winning their last three home matches after the first against Jamaica, their likely opponents in the semifinals, was drawn in St Lucia.
Earlier, the Windwards’ lower order had continued to build on the bedtime position of 292 for five with Sammy completing a half-century and captain Rawl Lewis falling five short.
After Lewis was adjudged lbw to become the last of Dwight Washington’s two wickets, Sammy with 61 and Lindon James with 36 added 90 for the seventh wicket before Windwards lost their last four wickets for 36 runs.
Williams was the most successful B-Team bowler with three wickets for 86 runs from 19 overs and Ryan Austin also collected two.
WEST INDIES-B 1st innings 197 (A. Richards 74; S. Shillingford 4-50)
WINDWARD ISLANDS 1st innings (o/n 292 for five)
D. Smith c Haynes b Austin 154
R. Currency c Mahabir b Austin 38
C. Emmanuel c wkpr Ramdass b Williams 20
K. Martin c wkpr Ramdass b Bennett 8
S. Fedee c Haynes b Washington 18
R. Lewis b Washington 45
D. Sammy lbw b Williams 61
L. James c Haynes b George 36
D. Butler c Findlay b Williams 3
S. Shilloingford run-out 12
F. Thomas not out 11
Extras: (b-17, lb-1, w-1, nb-2) 21
Total: (all out) 427
Fall of wickets: 1-114, 2-182, 3-197, 4-235, 5-271, 6-301, 7-391, 8-406,9-413.
Bowling: Washington 21-8-42-2, Bennett 25-5-73-1, Austin 41-8-114-2, Williams 19-0-86-3, George 17.4-0-77-1, Hyatt 2-0-7-0, Findlay 1-0-10-0.
WEST INDIES-B 2nd innings
R. Ramdass c wkpr James b Thomas 21
J. Haynes b Sammy 13
S. Findlay c Butler b Sammy 25
D. Hyatt lbw b Thomas 20
A. Richards c wkpr James b Thomas 59
G. Mahabir run-out 18
K. Williams not out 12
R. Austin not out 0
Extras: (b-1, lb-6) 7
Total: (6 wkts) 175
Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-52, 3-63, 4-142, 5-143, 6-174.
Bowling: Thomas 14-6-19-3, Sammy 12-4-31-2, Butler 12-3-31-0, Shillingford 15-3-39-0, Lewis 8-1-35-0, Martin 2-0-6-0, Smith 2-1-7-0.