Windwards maintain winning streak

Led by an aggressive knock of 41 off 44 balls by West Indies all-rounder Darren Sammy, the Windward Islands swept aside a Guyana Cricket Association [GCA] XI to record their second win in as many practice games at the GCC ground, Bourda, yesterday.

Batting first, the GCA XI were dismissed for 167 off 48.5 overs. Openers Shemroy Barrington and Imran Hassan put on 64 before Barrington was bowled by the impressive, young tear-away, Nelon Pascal for a run-a-ball 30, which included three fours and one six.

Hassan was next to go with the score unchanged, LBW to Mathurin for 29 which included four boundaries. Ricardo Jadunauth and Vishal Singh then shared a partnership of 22 before Jadunauth went, caught by Devon Smith off off-spinner Shillingford for 15, followed by Singh, run out for 13. A mini procession of batsmen to and from the pavilion then followed, as skipper Lennox Cush, Jamal Hinckson, and Troy Gonsalves, all failed to reach double figures. However, Sauid Drepaul offered some resistance in making 19 with one six before being bowled by Windwards’ skipper, Rawl Lewis.

An eighth-wicket partnership of 38 between Clive Andries and Travis Blyden ended with Blyden’s dismissal, caught by Sammy off Lewis for three. Andries was left not out 27, which included three fours and one six.

Bowling for the Windwards, Lewis claimed 3-21, Gary Mathurin,3-25 and Shane Shillingford, 2-9.

In reply, West Indies opener Devon Smith and Andre Fletcher put on 39 for the Windwards before Smith was bowled by Drepaul for 40 which contained four fours. Fletcher, Heron Campbell and Donwell Hector all followed cheaply, but then in strode Sammy and immediately took the fight to the bowlers, clobbering five fours and one six.

He was eventually bowled by Troy Gonsalves, but his departure didn’t result in a respite for the Guyanese bowlers as Lewis continued the attack with a cameo 22 which contained one four and one six in 16 minutes.

He was eventually caught by wicket-keeper Perry off Kelon George, as the Windwards totalled 168-7 off 39.1 overs .

Kelon George was the pick of the GCA XI bowlers with 2-28 from 7.1 overs, supported by Cush 1-24 from 10 and Gonsalves, 1-31 from five.