BRIDGETOWN, Barbados-THE Windward Islands picked up a crucial nine-wicket victory over the Combined Campuses & Colleges (CCC) squad this past weekend in the West Indies Cricket Board’s Regional 4-Day Competition and now have 12 points total after two matches played.
Windwards made a strong impression on the first day of the match thanks to Dominican Shane Shillingford and Vincentian Keon Peters, who each picked up three wickets to put CCC at 158/all out from 60.2 overs in their first innings.
Windward Islands continued to dominate when they took to the crease. They were led in their first innings by West Indies regular Devon Smith, who added 122 runs to the squad’s total of 286 after 94.4 overs.
CCC had their work cut out for them in their second innings and Windward Islands continued heavy pressure with spinners Shillingford and Rawl Lewis. The duo would go on to dominate the third day of play and pick up four wickets apiece to stun CCC.
CCC had moments of resistance, such as former West Indies captain Floyd Reifer’s 71 and wicketkeeper Chadwick Walton’s 34, but there was not a great deal of support from the rest of the squad as they were left at 198 from 92.3 overs.
Windward Islands needed only 71 runs to win the match at that point and found it before the close of play on day three.
Jamaica also continued to dominate the tournament in the third round of play as they earned an innings and 27-run victory over Guyana in St. Phillip.
Guided by centuries from Wavell Hinds and wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh in their first innings, Jamaica set an intimidating total of 429 for Guyana to chase.
The Guyanese were then put even further behind when Nikita Miller had a six-wicket haul to leave them toiling at 166. Guyana followed on across days three and four for their second innings, but only managed to reach 236/all out from 86.4 overs.
Meanwhile, Trinidad & Tobago battled back after they trailed in the first innings to nearly earn a victory over host Barbados.
Having trailed by 115 after the first innings, T&T surged ahead to a second innings total of 412 thanks to centuries from opener Justin Guillen and Denesh Ramdin.
Suddenly trailing by 297, Barbados batted largely defensively in their second innings to earn a draw after Patrick Browne and Kemar Roach held their ground in the ninth wicket.
Play in the tournament is scheduled to continue on Friday (Jan. 29) in Barbados, when CCC shall take on Guyana, T&T will face the Leeward Islands and the Windward Islands will do battle with host Barbados. Jamaica shall have a bye for the round.
