BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – Devon Thomas and captain Jahmar Hamilton stroked unbeaten half-centuries as Group A hosts Leeward Islands Hurricanes took another step towards a semi-final berth with a convincing six-wicket victory over reigning champions CCC Marooners here yesterday.
In pursuit of 191 for victory at Conaree, Hurricanes overcame an early blip to coast to victory with nine overs remaining in the innings.
Thomas top-scored with 78 not out off 96 deliveries with nine fours and a six while Hamilton ended on 77 not out off 114 balls, striking seven fours and three sixes.
Hurricanes were floundering on 32 for four in the eighth over after new-ball pacers Carlos Brathwaite (2-35) and Akeem Jordan (2-42) sliced through the top order but Thomas and Hamilton produced a match-winning unbroken fifth wicket stand of 152 to deny Marooners.
With the win, Hurricanes moved to 16 points from four wins and two defeats while Marooners remained rooted to the bottom of the tables with four points from their single win in six outings.
Paul Palmer had earlier notched his maiden List A half-century when he scored exactly 50 as Marooners crawled to 190 for nine off 50 overs after they were sent in.
Jonathan Drakes with 29 and Gian Benjamin and Jalarnie Seales, both with 28, all got starts but Marooners failed to string together substantive partnerships and found themselves bogged down.
They lost Kyle Corbin in the fifth over for eight with the score on 17, caught at first slip by Kieran Powell off seamer Quinton Boatswain (2-18) but Drakes and Benjamin added a crucial 42 for the second wicket to steady the innings.
Left-arm spinner Jason Campbell (2-38) broke the stand when he had Benjamin caught in the mid-wicket ropes in the 15th over and when Sadique Henry (5) and Drakes also perished in quick succession, Marooners were struggling on 83 for four in the 23rd over.
Palmer came to his side’s rescue, however, striking four fours in an 82-ball knock and putting on 33 for the fifth wicket with captain Brathwaite (9) and 31 for the eighth wicket with Seales.
West Indies left-hander Kieran Powell then gave Hurricanes a swift start to their run chase, slamming two fours and a six in a cameo 15-ball 21 in a 26-run first wicket stand with Montin Hodge (6).
But in nightmare 18-ball period, Hurricanes saw four wickets tumble for just six runs. Jordan struck twice in the fifth over, having Hodge caught at short mid-wicket and then removing Keacy Carty one for one, also caught by Henry in the same position.
Brathwaite then removed Powell in the next over, nicking a drive through to the keeper and in his next over, claimed Amir Jangoo without scoring, top-edging a loose swing at a short ball to be taken at gully.
Thomas and Hamilton, however, blunted the Marooners attack to dash their hopes of a win.
