ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – West Indies off-spinner Shane Shillingford’s seven-wicket haul shocked Combined Campuses and Colleges and propelled Windward Islands to a narrow 22-run victory inside three days, in their sixth round Regional Four-Day match here yesterday.
The 29-year-old Dominican, trying to force himself back into the West Indies selection frame a spell on the sidelines, bowled superbly to claim seven for 34 as CCC, chasing a winning target of 132, crumbled for 109 at the National Stadium.
Shillingford finished with match figures of 10 for 71.
Resuming the day on 106 for four, the Windwards were bowled out for 191 with Andre Fletcher top-scoring with 87.
Seamer Jason Holder (3-36) and off-spinner Ryan Austin (3-39) finished with three wickets apiece while pacer Kevin McClean took two for 57.
Set a modest target for victory, CCC were befuddled by Shillingford who started with the new ball and proceeded to wreck the middle and lower order.
Veteran campaigner Floyd Reifer fought back with an unbeaten 31 and mounted a 38-run, last wicket stand with Akeem Dewar (15), that threatened a come-from-behind win.
However, left-arm fast bowler Delorn Johnson (2-35) returned to bowl Dewar and end CCC’s resistance.
Shillingford wasted little time in getting among the CCC top order, sending the visitors to tea at 53 for six.
When CCC lost three wickets for three runs to crash to 71 for nine, the match was nearing a swift end but Floyd Reifer held up the Windwards’ progress.
He faced 78 balls and struck one four and a six and was still there at the end when the innings folded.
Earlier, Fletcher held the Windwards innings together in a knock that lasted 164 balls, 172 minutes and included seven fours.
Resuming the day on 43, the right-hander pushed his fifth wicket stand with Dalton Polius (23) to 51 before they partnership was broken.
He added a further 43 for the seventh wicket with Garey Mathurin (20) to get the total up to 187 for seven before four wickets fell for four runs, to bring a swift end to the innings.
