Powell’s century carries CCC to shock win over Pride

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

DISCARDED WEST Indies opener Kieran Powell scored his 10th List A century as the Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners stunned Barbados Pride by two wickets in their Regional Super50 match at the Queen’s Park Oval on Friday.

The 34-year-old Powell cracked 102 from just 87 balls to pilot the Marooners to 267 for eight in 45 overs, in reply to the Pride’s 264 for seven from their 50 overs.

It was the Marooners’ first win of the season in four games, while the defeat was the first for the Pride, who had won their previous three matches.

Along with Powell, the victory was set up, ironically by three Barbadians in Shaqkere Parris, Jonathan Drakes, and captain Shamarh Brooks, who all made meaningful contributions.

Pacer Kadeem Alleyne made an early breakthrough for the Pride when he had opener Johann Jeremiah caught at first slip by Zachary McCaskie for a duck with just one run on the board.

However, Powell and Parris, who scored 44, formed a 126-run partnership for the second wicket to help the Marooners seize control of the contest.

In the seventh over of the match delivered by fast bowler Chemar Holder, Powell smashed him for four sixes, signalling his intentions from the get-go.

But just as Parris appeared to be headed towards his half-century, he edged a delivery from Nyeem Young behind to the keeper.

His dismissal brought Drakes to the crease, but Barbados got another breakthrough when Holder got his revenge by having Powell caught behind moments after making it into three figures, to leave the Marooners 164 for three in the 27th over.

Powell hit 10 fours and three sixes in his innings.

Drakes and Brooks then added 50 for the fourth wicket to swing the momentum back in the Marooners’ favour.

However, when Drakes was caught behind off the bowling of spinner Jomel Warrican for 35 with the Marooners 216 for four, it set up a tense finish.

Demario Richards was bowled by Kemar Smith for 15, Brooks was bowled by Holder for 33, Warrican accounted for the wicket of Romario Greaves and Holder had Mikkel Govia caught behind, to see the Marooners slip to 263 for eight.

Amari Goodridge and Akeem Jordan held their cool though, to see the Marooners over the line.

Holder was the main destroyer with 3-58 while Warrican took 2-57.

Earlier, a trio of half centuries by Leniko Boucher, McCaskie and Kevin Wickham, looked set to help the Pride establish a big total after they were sent in to bat.

Wickham hit the topscore of 65 from 72 balls, McCaskie scored 53 off 90 balls and Boucher made 52 from 56 balls at the top of the order.

Their contributions took the Pride to 187 for two in the 39th over, before key strikes by Jordan and Romario Greaves limited the Pride.

When Jordan dismissed McCaskie, the Pride lost four wickets for 30 to slip to 217 for six, and they needed Kemar Smith’s cameo of 32 from 23 balls to get up to their eventual total.

Jordan took 3-49 and Greaves 2-47.