Hurricanes flatten Pride in Tarouba

LEEWARD Islands Hurricanes crushed Barbados Pride by 155 runs on Thursday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy to book a spot in the final of the CG United Super50 tournament against TT Red Force.

Hurricanes and Red Force will meet in the final on Saturday at 1 pm at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba. Fans can attend the match for free.

Pride got off to the worst possible start chasing 291 for victory against the Hurricanes, as they were five wickets down with just 61 runs on the board. Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph was the chief destroyer, taking three of the first five wickets for the Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes were strong in the field as Rahkeem Cornwall and Justin Greaves both took sharp chances. Cornwall held on to a low catch at first slip off the bowling of Joseph to dismiss Shai Hope for 19 and Kraigg Brathwaite was caught at leg slip by Greaves for 11 off 34 balls to give spinner Kofi James the scalp.

It quickly became 80/6 in the 18th over as Roshon Primus was caught for ten in the covers by Joseph as spinner Daniel Doram got the wicket.

Roston Chase got Pride past 100 with a slog sweep for four, but Raymon Reifer fell in the next over. Reifer, attempting a pull shot, was caught by James at the mid-wicket boundary for 14 as Doram took another.

All hope was gone when Chase was the eighth batsman dismissed, caught for 35. The innings folded shortly after as Pride were all out for 135 in 30.2 overs. Joseph took 3/30 in five overs and Doram ended with figures of 3/33 in ten overs.

Batting first, Justin Greaves, Jahmar Hamilton and Hayden Walsh Jnr all made half centuries to lead Hurricanes to 290 all out in 49.4 overs.

Greaves, the leading run scorer of the tournament, had a solid opening partnership with Kieran Powell before the latter fell for 28.

Keacy Carty was not as fluent as he would have liked while batting with Greaves, but the pair kept Hurricanes in front.

Carty was dismissed by spinner Kemar Smith for 32 off 55 balls, as Hamilton joined Greaves at the crease. Smith was the most successful bowler for Pride. He got the prized wicket of Greaves for 63 off 76 balls (five fours) as the tall right-hander chopped the ball onto his stumps.

Hamilton played with his usual aggression, increasing the scoring rate as he found the fence regularly during his innings.

Smith continued to impress, dismissing Terance Warde (one), Cornwall (16) and James (five) cheaply as Pride clawed their way back into the contest. However, when Walsh joined Hamilton the match swung in the favour of the Hurricanes as the pair kept the scoreboard ticking.

Hamilton struck six fours and four sixes, before being sent back to the pavilion in the 49th over for 76 off 61 balls. Walsh, who has surprised many with the bat in this tournament, was the last man out for 57 off 45 deliveries. His knock included one four and five sixes.

Smith ended with 5/43 in ten overs, left-arm pacer Dominic Drakes picked up 2/48 in 9.4 overs and fellow left-arm bowler Reifer grabbed 2/72 in nine overs.

Summarised Scores:

LEEWARD ISLANDS HURRICANES 290 (49.4 overs) (Jahmar Hamilton 76, Justin Greaves 63, Hayden Walsh Jnr 57; Kemar Smith 5/43, Dominic Drakes 2/48, Raymon Reifer 2/72) vs BARBADOS PRIDE 135 (30.2 overs) (Roston Chase 35; Daniel Doram 3/33, Alzarri Joseph 3/30). Hurricanes won by 155 runs.