January 14th, 2015 -- It’s becoming a habit now for the Windward Volcano to take games down to the wire as for the second consecutive match in the NAGICO Super 50 at the Warner Park in Basseterre, St. Kitts, they eked out another close win in the latter stages of the match. This time the victims were the Guyana Jaguars. The Jaguars scored 209 for 8, in response, the Volcanoes 210 for 8. The Jaguars kept the Volcanoes in check with their spin bowling.
The required run rate began piling up for the Volcanoes and it seemed once again, as was the case versus the Leeward Islands Hurricanes on Monday, they were heading for defeat until Shane Shillingford stepped to the crease. Just the same way he helped rescued the Volcanoes from defeat on Monday, he did the same Wednesday night. When he stepped in Sunnil Ambris was already on a half century and was looking to build on the score.
Ambris eventually scored 56 before he was bowled by Royston Crandon. But that did not stop Shillingford who began hitting big shots, getting the boundaries at the right time supported by Keron Cottoy. Cottoy surprisingly placed the Jaguars bowlers under pressure and poor bowling, including several wides and uncharacteristic full tosses played into the Volcanoes’ hands. Needing 18 to win in the last two overs, Shillingford and Cottoy got to work. Raymond Reifer had a nightmare in the penultimate over for the Jaguars, which proved to be quite expensive for the Jaguars.
He bowled a wide which was also leg-by—giving away 5 runs from one delivery. In the last over, the Volcanoes needed 7 to win from 6 balls. Crandon came up to bowl and Shillingford, with the game changing play, hit a six out the Warner Park Stadium. With one to win, it was just a formality and the Volcanoes, once again scraped through with a win that seemed to be headed to defeat. This win is also crucial as it means the Volcanoes top the points table ahead of the Jaguars as they inch closer to a semi-final berth in Trinidad and Tobago.
Volcanoes coach Ian Allen while pleased with the win continue to stress the need for his to openers to take charge of the matches. “To limit Guyana under that total I think it’s a good team effort. In terms of the batting, we didn’t get the start we really wanted to but again the middle order and the lower order really has to come and finish the game for us. I would like to see more established batsmen finish the game with a lot more wickets in hand,” he said. The Volcanoes next play the Marooners on Friday at the Warner Park at 1:30pm. Jaguars play the Leeward Islands Hurricanes also on the same day at 9:00am in St. Pauls.
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