Mayers maiden century takes down Hurricanes

Left-hander Kyle Mayers scored his maiden domestic 50-over hundred.
Left-hander Kyle Mayers scored his maiden domestic 50-over hundred.

BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – Kyle Mayers’ maiden List A hundred proved the difference as Barbados Pride halted Leeward Islands Hurricanes unbeaten streak by handing the Group A hosts a 32-run defeat here Wednesday night.

Opting to bat first at Warner Park, Pride finished on 255 all out of their 50 overs, with the left-hander stroking 113 off 110 balls.

In his first campaign in several years for his native franchise following several seasons with Windward Islands Volcanoes, Mayers hit nine fours and eight sixes in an enterprising knock.

Wicketkeeper Tevyn Walcott chipped in with 39 and captain Jonathan Carter got 34, in an otherwise patchy batting display by Pride.

Fast bowler Sheno Berridge claimed four for 38 while left-arm spinner Jason Campbell picked up three for 30, giving Hurricanes the early advantage in the day/night fixture before also ensuring a strong finish to the innings.

In reply, Devon Thomas sustained his great form with exactly 50 off 85 deliveries but other than Terrance Ward’s 41 at number seven and opener Kieran Powell’s 30, Hurricanes failed to mount a coherent run chase and were dismissed for 223 in the 48th over.

They were undermined by left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop (3-31) and off-spinner Ashley Nurse (3-46) who finished with three wickets apiece.

Hurricanes were still in the hunt at 179 for five but then lost their last five wickets for 44 runs off the last 61 balls of the innings.

It was Mayers, however, who took the spotlight inside the first 50 overs of the game, producing a high quality knock to twice pull Pride out of trouble.

They were first slumping at 36 for three in the 12th over following two strikes from Berridge before Mayers put on 44 for the fourth wicket with Carter, whose 47-ball knock contained three fours and a six.

When Campbell bowled Carter and then trapped Roshon Primus lbw without scoring in the 25th over to leave Pride tottering on 80 for five, Mayers paired with Walcott in 117-run stand to once again rescue the innings.

The 27-year-old was measured in his first fifty, requiring 69 balls for the landmark but raised the tempo to reach three figures off only a further 37 deliveries, by smashing left-arm spinner Yannick Leonard for a straight six in the 45th over.

He was eighth out in the next over, caught on the ropes at backward point off Berridge looking for quick runs.

Left-hander Powell then struck five fours in a 45-ball knock as Hurricanes reached 50 for one in the 12th over. When Powell smashed a wide ball from Nurse to Leniko Boucher at cover point, Hurricanes lost a cluster of wickets to be 112 for five in the 26th over.

Thomas, who punched four fours and Ward, whose 46-ball knock also contained four boundaries, added 67 for the sixth wicket but once the stand was broken, the last five wickets went down in another cluster.