Harpy Eagles eyeing title with 10-point lead

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC):

Unbeaten Guyana Harpy Eagles enter the final round of the West Indies Championship with a 10-point lead and a chance to clinch their first title in three seasons.

The leaders, who have won three of their four games, will host Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the Guyana National Stadium starting tomorrow knowing that a victory will secure them success in the tournament.

Harpy Eagles – then Jaguars – won the first five titles of the new professional era starting in 2015 until Barbados Pride emerged to win the next two.

In the last round, Harpy Eagles condemned bottom-dwellers Jamaica Scorpions to a third defeat in four games with a comprehensive 228-run thrashing, to move to 68.2 points.

Windward Islands Volcanoes, also unbeaten, lie second on 58 points after coming away from the fourth round with an impressive six-wicket victory over Hurricanes at Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad.

They will take on third-place Barbados Pride at Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain, a clash that will be decisive in the title outcome.

Volcanoes are the only side within real touching distance of Harpy Eagles as Pride are 18 points adrift of the leaders on 50 points.

Pride were impressive nonetheless in the last round, showing the tenacity to beat hosts Trinidad and Tobago Red Force by seven wickets at Queen’s Park Oval.

Hurricanes, who have won just once in the campaign, lie fourth on 41.4 points while Red Force are fifth on 28.6 and Scorpions last on 21.2.

Red Force and Scorpions are yet to win a game in the tournament.