Windward Islands win inside two days
Having declared on 24 for 7 yesterday morning, Leeward Islands could not gain ground quickly enough and fell to their third defeat in the Regional Four-Day Tournament against Windward Islands
ESPNcricinfo staff
22-Nov-2015
Windward Islands 140 (Theophile 62, Joseph 7-46) and 56 for 2 beat Leeward Islands 24 for 7 dec and 170 (Bonner 64, Sebastian 5-76) by eight wickets
Scorecard
Scorecard
Having declared on 24 for 7 yesterday morning, Leeward Islands could not gain ground quickly enough and fell to their third defeat in the Regional Four-Day Tournament. Windward Islands wrapped up victory by eight wickets and the entire match tallied only 128 overs. According to data available to ESPNcricinfo, it was the fourth-shortest completed game of first-class cricket in the West Indies under condition that a minimum of three innings were played.
Alzarri Joseph, the 19-year old Leeward Islands seamer, took 7 for 46 and recorded the best figures of the tournament so far. He was playing his fourth first-class game and was able to pull Windward Islands down from an overnight 104 for 5 to 140 all out in the first innings. Tyrone Theophile struck 62 off 85 balls, with eight fours and a six and Andre Fletcher chipped in with 31 in 46 balls. The duo were responsible for the only fifty partnership of the match.
Leeward Islands, behind by 116 runs, mounted a more considered reply with Nkrumah Bonner moving to a third half-century in as many games. He made 64 off 125 balls, with five fours and was the top-scorer of the match. Support, however, was lacking. He was seventh man out with the score on 145, lbw to Liam Sebastien who claimed 5 for 76. Leeward Islands were dismissed for 170 in 64.4 overs and Windward Islands hunted down a target of 55 in 10.2 overs.
Leeward Island's first-innings declaration, uncanny as it was, had seemed like a tactical call that arose from concerns about the Windsor Park pitch according to reports on windiescricket.com. Twelve wickets fell on the opening day, and that count was raised to 15 today.
The WICB confirmed on Monday that the pitch used for the match will be investigated.* "We will speak to all of the relevant parties to get a clear picture of what took place at Windsor Park and decide on the course of action once we have reviewed all the reports," WICB director of cricket Richard Pybus said.
*14.45GMT, November 23: This article was updated.