Khary Pierre (8/27) leaves Volcanoes in ashes as Red Force get another huge win

FOR the second straight game, left-arm spinner Khary Pierre put the TT Red Force team on his back in the West Indies Regional Four-day Championship, as he grabbed figures of eight for 27 in the second innings versus the Windward Islands Volcanoes on February 7 to earn his team an emphatic innings and 176-run win.

In the Red Force's first game of the four-day season against the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC), the 33-year-old Pierre had figures of seven for 40 in the second innings to help his team to an innings and 75-run win.

In their day/night clash with the Windwards at the Arnos Vale Playing Field, St Vincent, the Red Force started day three on 429 for seven. TT already had an advantageous 263-run lead at that stage. And with allrounder Yannic Cariah resuming his innings on 84, he looked keen to follow the example of TT centurions Cephas Cooper (117) and Jason Mohammed (103).

Cariah (95 off 146) fell just short of three figures, though, as he was trapped lbw by seamer Gilon Tyson as TT were eventually bowled out for 456. Red Force finished with a huge 290-run lead after the first innings.

After making just 166 in the first innings, the Windwards batsmen were faced with an uphill task. The second innings wasn't the prettiest for the hosts, as they were bowled out for just 114 as TT wrapped up the victory after three-and-a-half hours of play.

Pierre was undoubtedly the star of the show, and he spun his web around the Windwards batsmen to notch career-best figures for a second consecutive game. It was also his third five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.

Returning West Indies pacer Jayden Seales (two for 16) did the early damage for TT as he took the wickets of opener Stephan Pascal (eight) and first-innings centurion Kavem Hodge (eight). Pascal was dismissed with a peach of a ball which rocked back the off stump, while Hodge was caught at second slip by Bryan Charles after playing an expansive drive.

Windwards were on 35 for two at that stage, but the unplayable Pierre was right around the corner to scoop up his eight victims.

Four of Pierre's wickets came via the lbw route, with Keron Cottoy (nine) being the first to go. Windwards' TT batsman Jeremy Solozano (36) was the next man to be dismissed, as he was caught at first slip by Charles as the hosts slipped to 77 for four.

Windwards captain Sunil Ambris (16) offered little resistance as he was trapped lbw by Pierre while playing across the line, with Gian Benjamin (two) and Lee John (duck) going back to the pavilion in the spinner's next over as he took his wicket tally to five.

Pierre's show rolled on, and he clean bowled the left-handed Shadrack Descarte (ten) with a ball which spun wickedly from well outside the off stump, before claiming the last two wickets of Darel Cyrus (17) and Daurius Martin off consecutive balls in his 12th over.

With the impressive haul, Pierre finished with figures of 12 for 44 in the match and took his tally in the young season to 21 wickets.

Pierre and the Red Force will look to continue their winning start to the campaign when they play Leeward Islands Hurricanes from February 12-15 at Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts.

In Guyana, Tevin Imlach rescued the Guyana Harpy Eagles first innings batting effort against CCC. Harpy Eagles were 166/6 at the start of play on day three, but Imlach's 126 led the Guyanese franchise to 343 all out in response to CCC's 375.

Summarised scores:

WINDWARD ISLANDS VOLCANOES – 166 (Kavem Hodge 126; Khary Pierre 4/17, Yannic Cariah 4/30) & 114 (Jeremy Solozano 36, Darel Cyrus 17, Sunil Ambris 16; K Pierre 8/27, Jayden Seales 2/16) vs TT RED FORCE – 456 (Cephas Cooper 117, Jason Mohammed 103, Y Cariah 95, Amir Jangoo 84; D Cyrus 4/105, Shadrack Descarte 2/72). Red Force won by an innings and 176 runs.

JAMAICA SCORPIONS – 320 (John Campbell 126, Brad Barnes 63 not out; Jeremiah Louis 3/44, Rahkeem Cornwall 3/71) & 170 (J Campbell 53, Gordon Bryan 34; Oshane Thomas 3/44, R Cornwall 3/54) vs LEEWARD ISLANDS HURRICANES – 335 (Jahmar Hamilton 93, Karima Gore 76; Marquino Mindley 4/44, G Bryan 2/76) & 44/1 (Kadeem Henry 22 not out).

CCC – 375 (Kyle Corbin 102, Johann Jeremiah 84; Ronaldo Alimohammed 3/56, Veerasammy Permaul 3/87) & 32/3 vs GUYANA HARPY EAGLES – 343 (Tevin Imlach 126, R Alimohammed 77; Akeem Jordan 4/68, Ojay Shields 4/86).

BARBADOS PRIDE – 581/9 declared (Kraigg Brathwaite 212, Jonathan Drakes 117; Johann Layne 4/85, Joshua Bishop 4/137) vs WEST INDIES ACADEMY – 239 (Rivaldo Clarke 78, J Bishop 57; Chaim Holder 6/70, Jomel Warrican 2/57) & 144/5 (Teddy Bishop 58, Ackeem Auguste 32; Ramon Simmonds 3/29, Jomel Warrican 2/42).