BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – A Sunil Ambris half-century and a three-wicket haul by left-arm seamer Delorn Johnson inspired Windward Islands Volcanoes to a tense five-run victory over Leeward Islands Hurricanes in their final round encounter in the Regional Super50 here last night.
Opting to bat first at St Paul’s Sports Complex, Volcanoes rattled up 243 for six in a game reduced to 49 overs because of rain.
Sunil Ambris struck 74 off 84 balls, Andre Fletcher got 42 while Tyrone Theophile, with 35, and Barbadian Kyle Mayers, with 30, weighed in with healthy knocks.
Medium pacer Daron Cruickshank was the best bowler with two for 47.
In reply, Hurricanes were undone by Johnson who finished with three for 36 while fellow seamer pacer Mervin Mathew picked up two for 56, to end on 238 for nine.
Orlando Peters played well for his 77 off 109 deliveries while Nkrumah Bonner got 35 and Sherwin Peters, 32.
Peters anchored two half-century stands early on to put Hurricanes on course for their target. The right-hander, who struck five fours, put on 75 for the second wicket with Sherwin Peters and another 65 for the fourth wicket with Bonner.
The partnerships propelled Hurricanes to 167 for three in the 38th over but once Orlando Peters was dismissed by Johnson, six wickets fell for 70 runs to derail the run chase.
Earlier, Ambris counted five fours and a six to give the Volcanoes innings impetus. He was at the centre of two strong middle order partnerships, putting on 75 for the fourth wicket with Theophile and 82 for the fifth wicket with Fletcher who smashed three fours and two sixes off 47 balls.
