All-round Cornwall blazes Leewards into Super 50 semis

CAPTAIN and man-of-the-match Rahkeem Cornwall secured Leeward Islands Hurricanes' spot in the CG United Super 50 Cup semifinals with a brilliant all-round performance, in a six-wicket victory against the struggling Combined Campuses and Colleges on November 17.

Playing at the Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, and with the threat of rain looming, Cornwall proved decisive with both bat and ball to pick up a decisive win, to finish third at the end of the preliminary phase.

The Windward Island Volcanoes were hoping to sneak into the top four, but their match against the West Indies Academy, at the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Ground, UWI, St Augustine, was abandoned due to the rain. Windwards finished in sixth place.

Leewards, who were fourth heading into the final round, handled their business efficiently against CCC to move into third.

Batting first after being inserted, CCC were bundled out for just 151 in 36 overs.

After early inroads by left-arm spinner Karima Gore and pacer Oshane Thomas, Cornwall cleaned up the CCC middle- and lower order to finish with astonishing figures of six wickets for 20 runs from six destructive overs.

Only Jonathan Drakes and Shaqkere Parris could hold their head up as the CCC lineup lived up their name and played like schoolboys. Drakes stroked 48 off 56 balls, including six boundaries, before being caught by Kadeem Henry off Cornwall.

Cornwall had a hand in Parris' dismissal too, catching him for 38 off "leggie" Hayden Walsh. After they were removed, Cornwall wrapped up the tail quickly.

His heroics weren't over, though, as, batting at number six, Cornwall rescued his team who seemed on the verge of wasting his display with the ball.

Bajan pacer Akeem Jordan had the Hurricanes on the ropes at 68 for six in the 11th over, after a lively spell that resulted in a five-wicket haul.

However, Cornwall's arrival at the crease turned things around as the Leewards batsman put on a hurricane display as the clouds got darker.

He lashed an unbeaten 84 off 39 balls (eight fours, seven sixes) to steer his team to 154 for six in just 19.4 overs. Jordan finished with five for 33 runs.

The win was the Hurricanes’ fourth of the campaign, pushing them to 51 points and third place in the standings, two points behind the Jamaica Scorpions who they will face in semi final two on Thursday at the Brian Lara Academy.

The first semi-final will see leaders Trinidad and Tobago Red Force (63 pts) squaring off with fourth-placed Barbados Pride (46 pts) on Wednesday, also at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.

Over at the Sir Frank Worrell Ground in St. Augustine, the Volcanoes, batting first, posted 278 for five with Sunil Ambris scoring an unbeaten 70. He got good support from Jeremy Solozano who made 55 and Shadrack Descarte 52.

The Academy team reached 69 without loss when heavy persistent rain ended play.

Scores:

AT QUEEN'S PARK OVAL

CCC 151 all out in 36 overs (Jonathan Drakes 48, Shaqkere Parris 38. Rahkeem Cornwall 6-20, Karima Gore 2-36) vs Hurricanes 154-6 in 19.4 overs (Rahkeem Cornwall 84 not out, Jeremiah Louis 12 not out. Akeem Jordan 5-3).

AT UWI

Volcanoes 278-5 in 50 overs (Sunil Ambris 70 not out, Jeremy Solozano 55, Shadrack Descarte 52, Stephan Pascal 47. Joshua Bishop 1-31) vs WI Academy 69-0 in 11 overs (Akeem Auguste 42 not out, Teddy Bishop 21 not out).

STANDINGS

TT Red Force (63 points)

Jamaica Scorpions (53 points)

Leewards Islands Hurricanes (51 points)

Barbados Pride (46 points)

Guyana Harpy Eagles (37 points)

Windward Islands Volcanoes (35 points)

WI Academy (27 points)

CCC (24 points)