Forde, Young star as WI Academy stun Harpy Eagles

ST AUGUSTINE, Trinidad, (CMC):

WEST INDIES Academy pulled off yet another coup when they produced a composed all-round performance to thrash Guyana Harpy Eagles by 92 runs in the Regional Super50 Cup yesterday.

After recovering from 135 for seven in the 32nd over to post a competitive 263 all out off their allotted 50 overs, the Academy then mowed down favourites Harpy Eagles for a paltry 171 in the 36th over to march to their third win in six games and enhance their quest for a semi-final spot.

Matthew Forde, better known for his pace bowling, led the Academy’s courageous effort with the bat, top-scoring with 52 from 55 deliveries and the impressive Teddy Bishop extended his decent form with 48 from 46 balls, just falling short of his third 50 of the campaign.

Captain Nyeem Young chipped in with a breezy 42 from 44 balls while Joshua Bishop (33) and Kevin Wickham (32) lent support as the Academy dug deep to keep themselves in the game after off-spinner Kevin Sinclair (2-36), left-arm spinners Veerasammy Permaul (2-38), and Gudakesh Motie (2-39) and fast bowler Shamar Joseph (2-59) threatened to undermine the innings cheaply.

In reply, Harpy Eagles never really threatened. Sinclair top-scored with 46 from 56 deliveries, Permaul got 32 from 28 balls, and Kevlon Anderson chipped in with 27 from 31 balls, but they were the ones to pass 20.

The unlikely hero was Ackeem Auguste, the part-time leg-spinner claiming four for 47 while Young snared three for 18 from four overs of pace.

Opting to bat first at the Frank Worrell Memorial Ground, the Academy endured a nightmare start, losing opener Kimani Melius and Leonardo Julien without scoring to successive deliveries in the first over from Sinclair, to be two down without a run on the board.

EIGHT FOURS

However, Bishop led the revival, lashing eight fours and posting 54 for the third wicket with Matthew Nandu (15) and a further 29 for the fourth with Wickham.

When he perished in the 15th over, Wickham and Auguste put on 32 for the fifth wicket before three wickets tumbled for 20 runs to leave the innings in strife.

Forde, who counted four fours and two sixes, then added a vital 59 for the eighth wicket with Young before posting a further 49 for the ninth wicket with Bishop.

Young struck two fours and two sixes before falling in the 43rd, and Bishop blasted two fours and three sixes in a 23-ball cameo.

There was no sign of the carnage to follow when Anderson and Chandrapaul Hemraj (16) put on 45 off 43 deliveries for the first wicket to give Harpy Eagles a strong start.

But Young tore through the top order with a three-wicket burst to leave the innings tottering on 69 for four in the 13th over, and even though Sinclair and Tevin Imlach (17) posted 33 for the fifth, another collapse soon ensued.

Sinclair, who smacked a half-dozen fours and a six, carried the fight, but the last six wickets tumbled for just 69 runs.