Athanaze erupts against Harpy Eagles

Feb 09, 2023 Sports

2023 West Indies Championship…

– Pride, Red Force end Day one positively

Kaieteur News – Captain of the Windward Island Volcanoes, Alick Athanaze, became the latest centurion in the 2023 edition of the West Indies Championship, when his side commenced their second round encounter against the Guyana Harpy Eagles yesterday at Grenada’s National Cricket Stadium in St. George’s.

His unbeaten knock piloted Volcanoes to a defiant 292 – 8 at stumps, as the side won the toss and opted to take first strike.

In the day’s morning session, Volcanoes found themselves under early pressure as the Guyanese pace attack struck three times inside the opening eight overs.

Alick Athanaze

Jerlani Robinson (4) was the first to depart when Nial Smith broke his edge on the first delivery of the third over for an easy catch to Tevin Imlach at second slip; Volcanoes were 10 – 1.

Kaveem Hodge was the new batsman to join the other opener, Kimani Melius (2), and add just ten runs before the latter departed to make it 21 – 2. Melius was caught at third slip by Kemol Savory off the bowling of Ronsford Beaton in the sixth over, a repeat of the dropped chance by Savory from the fourth over.

That marked the arrival of Athanaze, who lost his partner, Hodge (14), five runs later compliments of another excellent delivery from Beaton that had him caught by the wicketkeeper, Anthony Bramble. Volcanoes were then 26 – 3 from eight overs.

Athanaze and Sunil Ambris were tasked with staging a recovery and that they did. The pair crafted a 76-run partnership that pushed Volcanoes past triple figures before the loss of another wicket. Kevin Sinclair was the one to break the partnership when he bowled Ambris for 47, as Volcanoes moved to 102 – 4 in the 24^th over.

The morning session ended at the completion of the 26^th over with Volcanoes on 116 – 4. Athanaze had 36 on the board while Justin Greaves accumulated just six.

In the second session, the eventual centurion was able to pass the half century mark on his 83^rd delivery and featured in an 89-run partnership with Greaves (21), who lost his wicket to Shamar Joseph with the score on 191.

Nine runs later, Tevyn Walcott (4) became Sinclair’s second wicket as Volcanoes reached 200 – 6 in the 42^nd over. Athanaze partnered with Ryan John on 99 and was able to comfortably reach his maiden first class century on the 125^th delivery he faced.

Darren Bravo

John played confidently from ball one and added 47 runs to the 90-run partnership with Athanaze, which came to an end when the centurion fell on 141 to Veerasammy Permaul. Volcanoes were 290 – 7.

Two overs later, the new batsman, Kenneth Dember (0), became the eighth wicket to fall as the score remained on 290.

John brought up an even 50 from 113 balls in the 79^th over then the rain intervened with Volcanoes on 291 – 8. However, with 11.1 overs left in the day, rain got the final say.

Permaul, Sinclair and Beaton all ended the day with two wickets each while Smith and Shamar Joseph picked up one each.

Other matches…

Over in Antigua, rain intervened in both matches and took a lot of overs out of the day. At the Sir Vivian Richard Cricket Stadium in North Sound, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force reached 151 – 3 from 50.1 overs at stumps. Darren Bravo was on 78 while Yannic Cariah had 32 when the day’s play came to an end.

At the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG), defending champion, Barbados Pride, mauled the Jamaica Scorpions batting line-up to restrict them to 140 in 54.4 overs. Akeem Jordan, Shemar Springer and Camarie Boyce all claimed three wickets a piece for Pride.

They trail by 51 runs going into the second day with 89 -2 from 29 overs on the board. Sheyne Moseley has 41 while Shamarh Brooks is at the other end on 16.

Today’s play is expected to bowl off from 9:30 hrs to compensate for the loss of overs.

• Alick Athanaze, Anthony Bramble, Darren Bravo, Guyana Harpy Eagles, Kimani Melius