Half-centuries from Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Joshua Da Silva and Raymon Reifer have put the West Indies “A” in a solid position after the first day of their third four-day “Test” match against Bangladesh “A” at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Monday.
The tourists currently find themselves 320-6 off 82 overs after winning the toss and batting first.
Chanderpaul led the way with 83 off 160 balls, hitting nine fours and a six in the process. The 26-year-old also made 83 in the first game.
Da Silva, the Captain, was much more proactive for his 82. His knock came off 94 balls and included 12 fours and a pair of sixes.
Alick Athanaze also chipped in with a well-compiled 59 off 66 balls including seven fours and two sixes while Reifer ended the day 56* off 90 balls including six fours and a six. Kevin Sinclair (22*) is currently partnering Reifer in the middle.
Nasum Ahmed has, so far, taken 3-92 off 26 overs for the hosts while Musfik Hasan has taken 2-50 in 13 overs.
West Indies “A” lead the series 1-0.
Captain Joshua da Silva scored an unbeaten half-century as West Indies ‘A’ took command against Bangladesh ‘A’ on day two of the first unofficial Test between the two countries at Syhlet on Wednesday.
At close of play Da Silva was unbeaten on 73 and Kevin Sinclair not out on 47 with the West Indies 417-6.
Resuming from their overnight score of 220-2 with Tagenarine Chanderpaul on 70 and Alick Athanaze on 35, the West Indies ‘A’ pressed on to 281 when Chanderpaul was dismissed by Musfik Hasan for 83.
He had his seven fours in his 236-ball stay at the crease before Hasan had him caught behind. Four balls later Hasan caught and bowled Brandon King for a duck as the West Indies slipped from 281-2 to 281-4 after 83 overs.
Six balls and two runs later, Athanaze’s aggressive knock came to an end when he was trapped lbw by Ripon Modol for 85 and all of a sudden the West Indies were in danger of collapse at 283-5. Athanaze faced 98 balls during which he struck 12 fours and three sixes.
Da Silva and Yanick Cariah took the score past 300 during a partnership of 34 that ended when the latter was stumped off the bowling of Nayeem Hasan for 14.
The captain and Sinclair then put on an unbeaten partnership of 100 by close of play.
Musfik Hasan who took the wicket of Kirk McKenzie for 86 and Raymon Reifer for 26 on Wednesday’s opening day has been the best bowler so far taking 3-54 from the 20 overs he bowled.
Keemo Paul and Gudakesh Motie have been recalled to West Indies squad to contest the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe in June. Naturally, both players were also selected for the West Indies three ODI tour of United Arab Emirates earlier in the month.
Paul, an all-rounder and left-arm spinner Motie last played in ODIs last July against India in Trinidad. Meanwhile, four uncapped players – left-handed batter Alick Athanaze, as well as allrounders Kavem Hodge, Dominic Drakes, and Akeem Jordan – have been selected for the series in the UAE.
The West Indies will play that One Day International (ODI) Series against UAE in Sharjah on June 5, 7 and 9 and form part of the preparations for the qualifiers.
CWI has given permission to players participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL) to return to the Caribbean for a short break before arriving in Zimbabwe for the qualification tournament.
“Paul is a three-dimensional player, who can bowl the new ball effectively, he’s dynamic in the outfield and he can also make vital runs. He is now fully recovered from injury and with his skill-set we see him as a potential match-winner for us,” said Lead Selector Dr Desmond Haynes.
“Motie was excellent in the Test matches in the Zimbabwe earlier this year, where he took 19 wickets, and we anticipate similar conditions for the qualifiers. We believe he will again relish the chance to bowl in those conditions. He is also a capable batsman and good in the outfield. The team played well in South Africa earlier this year, when we drew the ODI Series 1-1 under the new captain. We were encouraged by that display and we expect them to continue to grow and create that synergy.”
Haynes reiterated that the qualifiers in Zimbabwe are crucial to the West Indies, who once again, did not get an automatic berth into the ICC World Cup in India.
“We see this as a crucial tournament as we look to secure one of the two places left in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in India. Therefore, we have selected a balanced team which we believe is well equipped to get the job done in the conditions we anticipate in Zimbabwe,” he said.
“It will be a challenging tournament, it will be intense and competitive, there is no doubt about that. In speaking to the players, they are fully aware of the job at hand. We are happy with the preparations and the mindset of the players, and everyone is clear about their roles in the squad.
“For the matches against the UAE in Sharjah, this presents a chance for some other players who are not in the squad for the qualifiers, to get an opportunity at the international level as we look to expose more players.”
FULL SQUADS
West Indies Squad v United Arab Emirates: Shai Hope (captain), Brandon King (vice-captain), Alick Athanaze, Shamarh Brooks, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Dominic Drakes, Kavem Hodge, Akeem Jordan, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Raymon Reifer, Odean Smith and Devon Thomas.
Squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers: Shai Hope (captain), Rovman Powell (vice-captain), Shamarh Brooks, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Nicholas Pooran and Romario Shepherd.
West Indies wicketkeeper/batsman Joshua Da Silva and Alick Athanaze, the top scorer in the recently concluded West Indies Championship, have been appointed captains for Team Headley and Team Weekes, respectively for the upcoming Headley Weeks Tri-Series.
The two teams have been drawn from the leading performers in the 2023 West Indies Championship and those deemed to be on the fringe of the Test team.
The series aims to provide further first-class opportunities to the best performers from the West Indies Championship in a competitive and intense setting, as well as opportunities for players who the selectors believe would benefit from playing red-ball cricket as West Indies prepare for the upcoming “A” Team tour of Bangladesh and the two-Test Series against India at home.
Team Headley and Team Weekes will play against each other and against the West Indies Academy in the three-match series running from 19 April to 6 May, at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua. All three matches have been awarded first-class status. The West Indies Academy was unveiled last year and played CG United Super50 tournament last November.
Team Weekes will feature Athanaze who was the leading batter in the West Indies Championship with 647 runs, which included two centuries; left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul the second-highest wicket-taker with 28 wickets; as well as Jahmar Hamilton who was the joint leading keeper with 19 dismissals.
Team Headley will feature experienced left-hander Darren Bravo, who was the second highest run-scorer in the West Indies Championship with 446 runs which included two centuries; fast bowler Akeem Jordan who was third highest wicket-taker with 22 wickets in four matches; as well as Tevyn Walcott, who was the joint leading keeper with 19 dismissals.
“Following the conclusion of the West Indies Championship, we are pleased to have more first-class matches on the calendar,” said CWI Lead Selector Desmond Haynes.
“This is a great initiative and will provide our players with more opportunities as we look ahead to the very important Test Series against India later in the year as well as ‘A’ Team matches. We looked at everyone who was available, and we came up with teams who will be very competitive and push each other.”
All matches in the Headley Weekes Tri-Series will be streamed LIVE on the Windies Cricket YouTube channel with live scorecards and ball-by-ball scoring on the Windiescricket.com live match centre.
Team Headley: Joshua Da Silva (captain), Sunil Ambris, Darren Bravo, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Chaim Holder, Akeem Jordan, Marquino Mindley, Shayne Moseley, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Kieran Powell and Tevyn Walcott.
Team Weekes: Alick Athanaze (captain), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Keacy Carty, Dominic Drakes, Jahmar Hamilton, Brandon King, Jair McAllister, Zachary McCaskie, Veerasammy Permaul, Raymon Reifer, Kevin Sinclair, Nial Smith and Devon Thomas.
West Indies Academy: Kevlon Anderson, Ackeem Auguste, Joshua Bishop, Teddy Bishop, McKenny Clarke, Rivaldo Clarke, Joshua James, Johann Layne, Kirk McKenzie, Ashmead Nedd, Kelvin Pitman, Keagan Simmons, Ramon Simmonds, Kevin Wickham and Nyeem Young.
According to Cricket West Indies Shai Hope was selected but was given permission to represent Yorkshire in the English County Championship while Rahkeem Cornwall and Shane Dowrich made themselves unavailable for selection.
MATCH SCHEDULE
All matches to be played at CCG, Antigua
Match 1: 19-22 April: Team Headley v West Indies Academy
Match 2: 26-29 April: Team Weekes v West Indies Academy
Match 3: 3-6 May: Team Weekes v Team Headley
Alick Athanaze and Rahkeem Cornwall were the best performers with the bat and ball, respectively during the just-concluded West Indies Championships that saw the Guyana Harpy Eagles walk away with the title.
The Guyana franchsie amassed 84 points during the championships and was followed by the Windward Islands Hurricanes who scored 74.2 points over the five rounds of competition. They were followed by the Barbados Pride with 55.6, the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 49.4 and the Leeward Islands Hurricanes 46.2.
The Jamaica Scorpions finished at the bottom of the six-team table with 25.6 points having failed to win a game all season.
Athanaze, the Volcanoes’ middle-order batsman, who was dismissed for a duck in his final innings of the season, scored 647 runs that included two hundreds and four half-centuries at an average of 64.70.
Cornwall was tops among the bowlers claiming 35 wickets during the season and enjoyed best bowling figures of 11-69 against the Scorpions. The Hurricanes’ spinner took his wickets at an impressive average of 14.34 and economy of 2.36.
Wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton had the most dismissals -19- that included 17 catches and two stumpings while in the outfield, Zachary McCaskie held 13 catches during the season.
Alick Athanaze and Tevyn Walcott both scored half-centuries but Akeem Jordan’s five-wicket haul restricted the Windward Islands Volcanoes to a first-innings score of 237 on the opening day of their fifth-round West Indies Championship match against Barbados Pride at Queens Park Oval on Thursday.
At stumps, Barbados were 48-0, trailing by 189 runs.
Athanaze, who has been in good form all season, scored 59 while rescuing the Volcanoes from a tenuous 17-3. He and Sunil Ambris added 47 for the fourth wicket. Ambris was trapped lbw by Roshon Primus for 28 after Windwards Islands Volcanoes recovered somewhat to 64-4.
Athanaze was to feature in another solid partnership, this time 98 with Walcott for the fifth wicket that added further stability to the score. However, Akeem Jordan who earlier picked up the wickets of openers Kimani Melius for a duck and Johann Jeremiah for 11, snapped up the wickets of Walcott for 55 and then Athanaze for 59 as the Windwards slipped to 164-6.
Primus made it 166-7 when he dismissed Larry Edward for one.
After Jordan dismissed Kenneth Dember for six and Jomel Warrican removed Sherman Lewis for nine, Ryan John and Preston McSween added 31 before Warrican ended John’s resolute innings for 41.
Jordan returned figures of 5-44 with Primus supporting with 2-44 and Warrican 2-57.
At the close, Barbados were 48-0 with Zachary McCaskie and Sheyne Moseley, the batsmen at the crease on 21 and 26, respectively.
Windward Islands Volcanoes captain Alick Athanaze and Leeward Islands Hurricanes all-rounder Kofi James both got centuries on day two of their fourth-round fixture at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba on Thursday.
The Hurricanes began the day 271-6 off 90 overs with Karima Gore on 87 and James on 61.
Gore went on to make 93 off 198 balls including 13 fours and a six.
At lunch, they reached 338-7 off 116 overs with James on 96 and Jeremiah Louis on 18.
After the break, James carried on to bring up his maiden first-class ton before he was the second-to-last man to be dismissed, falling for 107 off 248 balls. Jeremiah Louis also made a valuable contribution with 45 as the Leewards declared their innings on 382-9 off 121.5 overs.
Shermon Lewis took 3-76 for the Volcanoes while new ball partner Preston McSween provided good support with 2-68.
At tea, the Windwards were 65-2 off 15 overs with in-form batsmen Kavem Hodge and captain Alick Athanaze at the crease on 33 and 21, respectively.
Athanaze and Hodge continued after tea, with the former bringing up his second hundred of the season, bringing his overall tally past 500 for the season. Hodge also brought up his third fifty of the season.
At Stumps, the Volcanoes were 206-2, trailing the Hurricanes by 176 runs with Athanaze and Hodge on 105 and 85, respectively.
Alick Athanaze and Kavem Hodge scored fifties as the Windward Islands Hurricanes put themselves firmly in command of their third-round encounter against the Jamaica Scorpions after day two at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.
The Scorpions started the day 98-7 off 21 overs replying to the Windwards’ 217 all out.
They lost their final three wickets quickly, adding just three runs to their total to finish 101 all out in just 28.3 overs.
All the Jamaican wickets fell to fast bowling as Justin Greaves starred with a career-best 6-34 off 10.3 overs while Shermon Lewis and Ryan John took two wickets apiece.
The Windwards began their second innings with a lead of 116 and suffered an immediate setback when Jerlani Robinson fell to Marquino Mindley off the first ball of the second innings.
Debutant Johann Jeremiah went next for 11 before captain Alick Athanaze and Kavemm Hodge batted beautifully to put on 66 and carry the Volcanoes into lunch on 85-2, a lead of 201 runs with Hodge on 45 and Athanaze on 26.
The post-lunch session saw the pair continue to look comfortable against the Jamaican bowling.
Hodge and Athanaze both brought up fifties as the partnership reached a mammoth 171 before Hodge fell for an excellent 107-ball 82 to leave the Volcanoes 190-3 in the 38th over.
Only eight runs later, Athanaze fell just shy of what would’ve ben his second first class hundred when he was dismissed by Kirk McKenzie for 97 off 100 balls, his eighth first class fifty and second of the match.
At tea, the Volcanoes were 215-4 off 44 overs, a lead of 331 runs, with Sunil Ambris on 12 and Justin Greaves on seven.
Soon after the resumption, Ambris became the fifth man to go, caught off the bowling of Nicholson Gordon for 23 with the score on 242 in the 54th over.
Two overs later, Tevyn Walcott went for a nine-ball duck to leave the Volcanoes 244-6.
Patrick Harty removed Greaves for 33 and Ryan John for six in the 61st over to leave the Windwards 259-8.
The ninth wicket fell when Jamie Merchant removed Kenneth Dember for 13 in the 69th over with the score on 283.
The Windward were eventually bowled out for 300 after 78.5 overs meaning the Jamaica Scorpions will need 417 runs to win.
Patrick Harty ended with 3-63 while Marquino Mindley and Nicholson Gordon took two wickets, each.
Scores: Windward Islands Volcanoes 217 off 60.3 overs (Alick Athanaze 81, Justin Greaves 50, Derval Green 5-30, Nicholson Gordon 2-26, Jamie Merchant 2-39) and 300 off 78.5 overs (Alick Athanaze 97, Kavem Hodge 82, Justin Greaves 33, Patrick Harty 3-63, Marquino Mindley 2-45, Nicholson Gordon 2-59)
Jamaica Scorpions 101 off 28.3 overs (Derval Green 33, Jamie Merchant 24, Justin Greaves 6-34, Shermon Lewis 2-29, Ryan John 2-38).
The Jamaica Scorpions wretched season with the bat continued on Wednesday on the opening day of their West Indies Championship match against the Windward Islands Volcanoes at Providence. After restricting the Volcanoes to 217, the Scorpions slumped to 98-7 at stumps, still 119 runs behind.
It could have been much worse for Jamaica, who at one point were 41-6 before a 57-run partnership between Jamie Merchant (24) and Derval Green, who is unbeaten on 33, took them closer to 100 runs.
Justin Greaves was the main destroyer with 4-34 while Shermon Lewis supported with 2-29.
Earlier, Derval Green took 5-30, Nicholson Gordon 2-26 and Merchant 2-39 as Jamaica bowled the Windwards out for 217. The in-form Alick Athanaze scored 81 and Greaves 50 offered crucial resistance to the Jamaican bowling.
Alick Athanaze and Akeem Jordan are the only two newcomers in a 15-member squad named on Tuesday by the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Men’s Selection Panel for the upcoming two-Test Series against South Africa.
Athanaze, the left-handed batter, is the captain of Windward Islands Volcanoes while Jordan, the right-arm seam bowler, plays for Barbados Pride.
Both have demonstrated good form in the first two rounds of the current four-day West Indies Championship.
Athanaze had scores of 41 and 51 against Trinidad & Tobago Red Force in Round 1 and followed up with a career-best 141 against Guyana Harpy Eagles in Round 2. He is a product of the West Indies Under 19s Rising Stars where he was one of the stand-out players at the 2018 ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup.
Jordan had match figures of 5-86 against Guyana and followed up with 7-113 against Jamaica Scorpions to be one of the leading wicket-takers in the West Indies Championship after two rounds of matches.
Athanaze and Jordan replace left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican and batter Nkrumah Bonner who are part of the squad for the just-concluded series in Zimbabwe.
Jayden Seales is unavailable for selection following a knee injury and subsequent surgery, while Anderson Philiip has returned to training but is not yet match-fit.
Lead Selector, The Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes said: “Athanaze is one of the young players who we have invested in, and he played well in the ‘A Team’ and CWI President’s XI. He showed great promise in the CG United Super50 last year and then got his first hundred in the West Indies Championship last week. We believe he should be given an opportunity at this level. He has also showed leadership, as captain of the Windwards at the start of this season.”
Haynes added: “Jordan has been very impressive from last year, he has continued to bowl well, and has been excellent in the first two matches so far this year. He is very skilful, can bowl the new ball, and looks to put the ball in the right areas. He is also a sharp fielder and good catcher close to the wicket. This will be a challenging tour. There is no easy away tour in Test cricket. South Africa have a good team, but I am sure we will be up for the task and will do well in these two Test matches.”
The upcoming Series is the final Test fixture for both teams in the ICC World Test Championship. West Indies are currently in sixth place and have the opportunity, with a Series win to move above South Africa, currently in fourth place, in the final table.
West Indies are due to arrive in South Africa on 17 February. They will face South Africa in two Test matches at SuperSport Park in Centurion (28 February to 4 March) and the Wanderers in Johannesburg (8 to 12 March). Following the Tests, West Indies will then play a white ball series. The squads for these will named at a later date.
FULL SQUAD
Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain)
Jermaine Blackwood (Vice Captain)
Alick Athanaze
Tagenarine Chanderpaul
Roston Chase
Joshua Da Silva
Shannon Gabriel
Jason Holder
Akeem Jordan
Alzarri Joseph
Kyle Mayers
Gudakesh Motie
Raymon Reifer
Kemar Roach
Devon Thomas
Alick Athanaze scored his first century of the season as the Windward Islands Volcanoes ended Day 1 of their second-round match of the West Indies Championships on 292-8 in their match against Guyana Harpy Eagles at St George’s.
Athanaze scored 141 from 220 balls in an innings that included 16 fours.
Thanks mainly to Ronsford Beaton, the Windwards were in early trouble at 26-3 with Jerlani Robinson (4), Kimani Melius (2) and Kavem Hodge (14) all back in the hutch.
However, Athanaze, who was by then at the wicket, found himself a useful partner in Sunil Ambris.
Together, they put on 76 for the fourth wicket. After Ambris was bowled for 47 by Kevin Sinclair, Athanaze and Justin Greaves added 89 for the fifth wicket.
Greaves’ contribution was 21 when he was dismissed by Veerasammy Permaul. The biggest stand of the innings, 90, was to come between Athanaze and Ryan John before the former would eventually be dismissed by Permaul.
By then, the Windwards had recovered nicely to 290-7.
Ronsford Beaton has taken 2-50 was supported by Kevin Sinclair, who has figures pf 2-64 and Permaul 2-70
John was unbeaten on 50 when the rains came.
Alick Athanaze scored his second ton in as many games as the Windward Islands Volcanoes scored a 50-run (D/L) victory over the Combined Colleges and Campuses during the CG Insurance Super50 competition that resumed in Antigua on Wednesday.
Athanaze scored 140 and shared in a second-wicket partnership of 208 with Kavem Hodge(106 not out) after the Windward Islands Volcanoes had lost the wicket of Johnson Charles for nine with 26 runs on the board.
Athanaze was eventually dismissed in the 42nd following a stay of 129 deliveries during which he hit 16 fours and three sixes.
Three wickets fell for 18 runs as the Windwards lost Shadrack Descarte for one and Sunil Ambris for five to slip to 252-4 in the 46th over.
However, Hodge, whose runs came from 131 balls and included four fours and two sixes, and Andre Fletcher who smashed two sixes in a 19-ball 30, plundered the bowling for 48 from 29 balls as the Windwards raced to 300-4 from their 50 overs.
Amari Goodridge was the best of the Combined Colleges and Campuses bowlers with 2-56 from seven overs. Michail Powell took 1-45.
With the weather intervening, CCC were required to score 160 for victory but it proved a tall ask.
Demario Richards (24), Kirsten Kallicharan (23) both got starts but failed to capitalize as the CCC slipped to 39-2 in the seventh over.
Kallicharan and Johnathan Drakes put on a painstaking 41 in 53 balls falling further behind the required run rate with each passing over.
Denesh Ramdin was unbeaten on 21 at the end as the CCC ran out of balls and out of time.
There was a wicket each for Preston McSween, Hodge, Justin Greaves, who was the pick of the bowlers with 1-21 and Larry Edward who took 1-22.
A magnificent unbeaten century from West Indies white-ball opener Brandon King put his Jamaica Scorpions in a commanding position after day two of their third-round West Indies Championship fixture against the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday.
The Scorpions started the day 118-4 with Paul Palmer Jr joining night watchman Marquino Mindley at the crease.
The pair put on just 13 before Mindley was dismissed by Preston McSween to leave the Scorpions 131-5, just six runs behind the Windwards first innings total of 137.
However, Brandon King joined Palmer Jr in the middle and the two put on an additional 30 runs before Palmer edged to second slip off the bowling of Josh Thomas for 15.
Derval Green came and went for a three-ball duck to leave the Scorpions 161-7 before wicketkeeper/batsman Aldane Thomas joined King in the middle.
The pair added some stability with a partnership of 58 before Thomas went caught at slip off the bowling of Sherman Lewis for 20 to leave the score 219-8 just after the lunch break.
Jamie Merchant and King then mounted a stand of 109 for the ninth wicket, taking the score to 328 when Merchant was dismissed for 58, his maiden first-class half-century.
King also scored his third first-class hundred during the stand and was 119 not out off 154 balls in the end.
The Scorpions eventually got to 346 all out, a commanding first innings lead of 209 runs.
Preston McSween was the pick of the Volcanoes bowlers with 4-96 off 25 overs while Josh Thomas supported well with 3-56 off 21 overs.
Kimani Melius and Devon Smith then began the task of overhauling the Scorpions' total with an opening partnership of 31 before Melius fell to Derval Green for 17.
Captain Kavem Hodge then joined Smith and the pair put on 36 before Smith was next to go, becoming Green’s second victim for a top score of 31.
Alick Athanaze was next to the crease and he and his captain looked comfortable, putting on 34 until the final over of the day which saw Jamie Merchant dismiss Athanaze for 17 to leave the Volcanoes 101-3 off 33.1 overs at stumps, still trailing by 108 runs.
Kavem Hodge is currently 30 not out while Derval Green has taken 2-35 off 10 overs for the Scorpions.
The Windward Islands Volcanoes are staring down the barrel of defeat after they were bundled out for 98 in response to Trinidad and Tobago’s first innings score of 326. Following on the Windwards were in trouble again at 32-3 at stumps.
Alick Athanaze was the only scorer of note with 33 as Anderson Phillip (4-32), Jayden Seales (3-31) did the damage for Trinidad and Tobago.
Phillip has so far taken 2-15 as the Windwards struggled once again in their second turn at bat.
Earlier, Trinidad and Tobago resumed at 217-5 with Joshua Da Silva on 51 and Terrence Hinds on five. The pair would eventually post 72 for the sixth wicket when Da Silva was dismissed for 73. Hinds would go on to make 57 as Trinidad were eventually dismissed for 326.
Sherman Lewis was the best of the Windwards bowlers with 5-43.
However, when they went to bat the Volcanoes imploded as other than Athanaze, Devon Smith (16) was the only other top-order batter in double figures. Among the lower order Ryan John (16), Larry Edward (13) and Kenneth Dember (10) were the only other batters in double figures.
Solid half-centuries from opener Devon Smith and Alick Athanaze ensured that Guyana Harpy Eagles spent the day toiling in the field as Windward Volcanoes posted 278 for 9 on day one of the West Indies Championship at Queens Park Oval.
The team was, however, also bolstered by staunch lower-order resistance to close the day, with the unbeaten last-wicket partnership of 62 between Preston McSween and Sherman Lewis continuing to frustrate the Jaguars.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat, the Windwards found themselves in early trouble when opener Kimani Melius was struck on the helmet by a delivery from Clinton Pestano and forced to leave the field without scoring.
Smith began in shaky fashion but dominated an early partnership with Kavem Hodge, who came in after Melius. Hodge was dismissed for 10 after being caught by Leon Johnson off the bowling of Keemo Paul, while Smith went on to record his 64th First-Class half-century. It was Paul who also brought that innings to an end with the batsman on 52.
Smith and Athanaze had produced a partnership of 49 before the former was dismissed. Athanaze then kept a productive middle-order going after next pairing with Keron Cottoy to put on 63 for the third wicket. The partnership ended when Cottoy was caught by Johnson off the bowling of Paul and Athanaze, who looked in good shape for triple figures, departed after unsuccessfully attempting to reverse sweep Veerasammy Permaul and being adjudged lbw on 68.
From 190-4, the Volcanoes quickly slipped to 195-6. Melius was dismissed for three following his return to the pitch. With Kenneth Dember dismissed on 6 and the team struggling at 215, in the 73rd over, the innings looked set to be over, but McSween went on the attack against the bowler with some clean hits late on.
Guyana spinners Gudakesh Motie (3-61) and Permaul (3-5) have managed a combined six wickets for far, while Paul claimed 3-64.
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