GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – Left-arm spinner Larry Edward came up trumps for the Windward Islands at a crucial stage as they closed the opening day of their third round WICB Regional Under-19 match with the advantage over the Leeward Islands.
Edward, tall and slim, was accurate and clever as he ended with four for 41 as the Leewards closed the rain-shorted day on 158 for six yesterday at Bourda.
The St Lucian’s figures could have looked even better had Shaquille Browne not dropped a swirling high catch at long-off from a big hit by Leewards skipper and topscorer Rahkeem Cornwall.
The batsman was 37 at that stage and the score on 136 for five when Browne made the crucial error – sprinting in off the fence when he should have waited on the offering.
Cornwall profited and prospered to close the day on 55 not out. He will carry his side’s hopes into the second day. Resuming with him will be Wasim Mintos on two not out.
A massively built six-footer, Cornwall came to the crease with his side precariously placed at 89 for three and was impressive with his ability to dominate the bowling from the moment he entered.
He hit more than half his runs in boundaries – six fours, mostly from powerful straight hits and a massive six over square leg – which sent viewers scattering in the historic player’s pavilion.
Edward made light work of the other batsmen. He had Shaquille Martina (21) bowled with one that spun and hit the top of off-stump and dived forward to snap up a drive from Akeem Saunders (25).
He trapped Larry Audain in front for a duck and had Nino Henry, well caught at slip by skipper Kavem Hodge for six.
Earlier in the innings opener Elijah Peters played solidly for two hours to make 30 from 100 balls.
He was comfortable against the seamers but found the going hard against the spin and was caught behind by keeper Sunil Ambris from an arm ball to give off-spinner Terron Simon his first wicket of the tournament.
It was the only success for the inconsistent Simon and later in the day he suffered at the hands of Cornwall who hit him for three fours and a mighty maximum in the space of nine balls.