West Indies Academy notch first win against CCC

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

ANDREW RAMBARAN and Johann Layne defied a fighting effort by the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) Marooners to help the West Indies Academy earn their first win of this year’s Regional Super50 tournament yesterday.

Rambaran and Layne added an unbroken 49 for the eighth wicket to help the WI Academy hold on for a tense three-wicket victory via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground.

The Marooners were dismissed for a paltry 174 from 39.5 overs, but the WI Academy were made to fight all the way, with rain eventually bringing the contest to an end with them on 167 for seven after 40.5 overs.

The WI Academy were fighting for survival after off-spinner Romario Greaves tore through their top order with a five-wicket haul to leave them tottering on 118 for seven.

Greaves accounted for the wickets of opener Ackeem Auguste, who made 17, Rivaldo Clarke for the topscore of 38, Teddy Bishop (9), Nimar Bolden for seven, and Joshua Bishop for 15, to give hope to the Marooners.

But Rambaran, who scored an unbeaten 37 from 60 balls, and Layne, who counterattacked with 25 from 28 balls, with two sixes and two fours, were on the verge of carrying them to victory before the rains came.

Greaves finished with the impressive figures of 5-45 from his 10 overs.

Earlier, the Marooners were given a solid start by their top order after winning the toss and electing to bat.

Openers Johann Jeremiah and Kieran Powell shared an opening stand of 63 in under 10 overs, before medium pacer Jediah Blades dismissed Jeremiah for 33.

Shaqkere Parris then added 39 with Powell to put the Marooners in control at 102 for one in the 18th over.

Powell was eventually dismissed by fast bowler Raneico Smith for the topscore of 46 from 42 balls, inclusive of eight boundaries.

The Marooners were gathering momentum with Parris and Jonathan Drakes at the crease but, from 143 for two, they suffered a dramatic collapse to lose their last eight wickets for 31.

Zishan Motara had Parris caught for 40 and, when he bowled Drakes for 21 two overs later, it signalled the end of the Marooners’ resistance, with only Demario Richards, who scored 18, making it into double digits.

Jediah Blades took 3-23, Motara, 3-31, and Bishop, 2-25.