The defending champions of the West Indies Championship, Guyana Harpy Eagles, are now just one victory away from lifting the trophy for a second consecutive time, after a dominant 93-run win against Windward Islands Volcanoes locked in their spot in the title decider. Played on the fourth and final day of the round-robin fixture at Antigua’s Coolidge Cricket Ground, Wednesday’s result pushed Tevin Imlach’s side to the summit of the league table, earning them an automatic direct berth in the championship final and completing a 3-0 clean sweep across their head-to-head meetings with the Volcanoes this season.
Windward Islands Volcanoes had an uphill battle from the moment they resumed play on Wednesday, requiring 319 runs to claim victory with nine wickets remaining in their second innings at 17 for one. The contest quickly swung firmly in the Harpy Eagles’ favour early on, as Nial Smith trapped Stephan Pascal leg before wicket for 12, before fast bowler Shamar Joseph removed Kavem Hodge for just eight, leaving the Volcanoes reeling at 36 for three.
A 74-run fourth-wicket stand between Johann Jeremiah and Alick Athanaze briefly revived the underdogs’ chances of an upset, pushing the score to 110 for three and giving the side hope of a remarkable comeback. However, the game shifted again once veteran spinner Veerasammy Permaul claimed Jeremiah’s wicket for 25, opening the door for left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie – the Harpy Eagles’ standout performer for the entire 2024 season – to take control of the contest. Motie quickly picked up the wickets of Shadrack Descarte and Noelle Leo, dropping the Volcanoes to 145 for six with just four wickets left in the innings.
Though Athanaze put up a resilient fight, finishing with a patient 64 from 116 deliveries, the lower order could not withstand the spin attack from Motie and Permaul. The pair combined to take the final four wickets of the innings, wrapping up the 93-run win. Motie finished with match figures of 4 wickets for 82 runs, Permaul claimed 3 for 41, and Joseph ended with 2 for 26 to round out the Harpy Eagles’ bowling performance.
In the second simultaneous round-robin fixture hosted at Antigua’s Antigua Recreation Ground, Leeward Islands Hurricanes pulled off a remarkable rearguard batting effort to secure a draw against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force. Resuming the final day at 160 for four, the Hurricanes faced a daunting task of batting out the full day to avoid defeat, but centuries from top-order batter Keacy Carty and captain Justin Greaves turned the tide of the match.
Trapped in a must-save situation, Carty and Greaves built a match-saving 174-run fifth-wicket partnership that dragged the Hurricanes back into the contest and put a Red Force victory out of reach. The pair carried the home side’s score to 271 before left-arm spinner Khary Pierre claimed a return catch to remove Carty, who had battled for four hours and 45 minutes to score 104 from 212 balls, hitting 16 boundaries and two sixes along the way.
Red Force kept pushing for the win that would have secured them top spot, and soon claimed the wickets of Cameron Pennyfeather for 20 and Greaves – who notched a defiant 122 from 178 balls, with 14 fours and one six – leaving the Hurricanes at 355 for seven. However, any remaining hopes of a win for the visitors were snuffed out by an unbroken late-wicket stand between Rahkeem Cornwall and Jahmar Hamilton. Cornwall scored an unbeaten 66 from 100 balls, while Hamilton finished 50 not out off 111, adding an unbroken 112 runs for the eighth wicket to force the two sides to agree to a draw when the Hurricanes reached 467 for seven.
Pacer Anderson Phillip finished with impressive figures of 4 for 89 for Red Force, who held on to second place in the final round-robin standings. As a result, Red Force will now face Barbados Pride in a semi-final qualifier, with the winner advancing to the championship final to take on the top-seeded Guyana Harpy Eagles for the West Indies Championship title.