… Volcanoes topple Red Force by 76 runs
ST JOHN’S, Antigua, (CMC) – Four-time reigning champions Guyana Jaguars made light work of Leeward Islands Hurricanes by nine wickets, to register their second straight win of the Regional Four-Day Championship and enter the Christmas break top of the points standings.
Resuming Sunday’s final day at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium in command of the contest, Jaguars needed only two overs to wrap up the hosts’ second innings for a modest 138 – claiming the last two wickets for eight runs.
Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie took both wickets to fall to finish with three for 11. Rajendra Chandrika was unable to bat.
Set 32 for victory, Jaguars lost Tagenarine Chanderpaul for one in the second over with a single run on the board but captain Leon Johnson arrived to hasten the victory with three boundaries in his unbeaten 15.
Jaguars, who won their opening last week against Windward Islands Volcanoes, have 24 points and are 12 clear of second placed Barbados Pride who came from behind to beat Jamaica Scorpions inside three days on Saturday in Bridgetown.
At the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad, former Test off-spinner Shane Shillingford finished with match figures of 12 for 147 as hosts Red Force plunged to a 76-run defeat to Volcanoes.
Starting the day on 133 for five in pursuit of 270 for victory, Red Force crumbled to 193 all out, with 20-year-old Joshua Da Silva converting his overnight 27 into a top score of 41.
He stretched his sixth wicket stand with Tion Webster (13) to 43 but once they were separated, the last five wickets fell for 47 runs.
Shillingford, who took six in the first innings, snatched three of the wickets to fall to end with six for 73 while Test pacer Sherman Lewis finished with two for 38.
With the win, Volcanoes are now fourth on 12 points, level on points with third placed Hurricanes, while Scorpions and Red Force – fifth and sixth respectively – are without a point.
The championship resumes with the third round starting January 4.