WINDWARD ISLANDS are the monarchs of regional fifty-over cricket.
They secured the Super50 title on the strength of a disciplined bowling performance backed up by a century opening stand between Devon Smith and Johnson Charles that took them to a comprehensive nine- wicket win over the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC)in the final under lights at Kensington Oval on Sunday night.
Set a revised target of 134 to win off 29 overs under the Duckworth/Lewis system, Windwards cruised to 134 for one off 22.2 overs.
CCC had earlier posted a modest 174 all out off 49.2 overs amidst two brief stoppages for rain. Persistent showers at the completion of the CCC innings caused a lengthy delay prompting the revised target when the Windwards started their reply at 9 p.m.
Smith and left-arm pacer Kenroy Peters shared the Man-of-the-Match Award, the former for his unbeaten half-century and the latter for an incisive bowling performance that earned him figures of four for 42 from ten overs.
Smith continued his excellent form this season, hitting an unbeaten 67, sharing an opening stand with Charles that produced 100 runs before Charles drove a simple catch to Kyle Corbin at cover from the bowling of pacer Kesrick Williams.
Charles struck a six and six fours in scoring a fluent 46 off 45 balls. Arguably his most authoritative stroke was a six struck over long-on as he used his feet to the off-spinner Ryan Austin.
He was hardly more than a spectator to the awesome stroke play of Smith within the first four overs when the Windwards raced to 34 without loss but he opened up in an over in which he took 12 runs from the off-spin of Nekoli Parris.
Charles struck him straight for four and through extra cover for another boundary as the Windward Islands reached 46 without loss after five overs.
Smith pounced on the CCC bowlers from the start, taking 13 off the first over bowled by Williams who had been so brilliant in the semi- final. When left-arm pacer Ramon Reifer replaced him, Smith hooked him over long-leg for six.
Smith’s unbeaten half century, laced with two sixes and six fours, came off 70 balls. Tyrone Theophile was not out on 17 when victory was achieved at 10:43 p.m. on a cool night.
Earlier, CCC struggled after being invited to bat in overcast conditions. They quickly slumped to 21 for three with all the wickets going to Peters.
Anthony Alleyne, the batting hero of the semi-finals with a match winning innings of 99 that helped CCC whip Trinidad and Tobago by 140 runs, was dismissed in the second over, caught at the wicket by Johnson Charles for one.
Chadwick Walton was caught in the gully by Keddy Lesporis for 13 and Raymon Reifer, having laboured 15 balls over three runs gave wicket- keeper Charles his second catch.
When player/coach Floyd Reifer was run out looking for a sharp single, the innings was in disarray at 31 for four half way through the 11th over.
CCC captain Kyle Corbin responded to the crisis with a counter-attacking innings of 46 off 54 balls, a knock that included two sixes and five fours. He eventually lifted a catch to Dalton Polius on the long-on boundary leaving Nekoli Parris, (34, 79 balls, one four) and Shacaya Thomas (25, 51 balls) to continue the rescue operation.
Kevin McClean (19, 27 balls, one six, one four) and Austin (13 not out, 26 balls, two fours), added 45 for the last wicket in just under eight overs.
Off-spinner Shane Shilingford took three for 29 from his allotted ten overs.
Then came the lengthy delay before the Windwards put on part two of a show that left no doubt that they are worthy champions.
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