GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – Kavem Hodge played a truly superb captain’s knock, stroking the first century of the WICB Regional Under-19 Championship, as Windward Islands dominated the Leeward Islands on the second day of their third round clash yesterday.
The 18-year-old from Dominica showed he is a cut above his peers as he played with great maturity and skill to carve out an unbeaten 155 on a Bourda pitch, which offered some turn to the spinners.
His knock piloted the Windwards to 340 for eight off just 76 overs – an impressive scoring rate of close to 4.5 per over.
The defending champs have an overall lead of 98 runs after they dismissed the Leewards for 242 in the morning session.
A short right-hander who favours the drive and cut, Hodge has so far counted 18 fours off 238 balls in just over five hours at the crease. He reached his century an hour after tea when he clipped a ball through the onside for two. The landmark came off 176 balls with 11 fours.
As dominant as Hodge was, he had to share some of the spotlight with the flamboyant Sunil Ambris who stroked an exciting 84 in a sensational 149-run, fourth-wicket stand at better than a run-a-minute in mid-afternoon.
Ambris, the brother of former senior Windwards batsman Romel Currency, faced 90 balls and clobbered 52 of his runs in boundaries.
Well-balanced and with quick feet, he launched an assault on the Leewards in two hours of breathtaking stroke-play. His impetuosity got the better of him however, as he chased a very wide ball, when a hundred was his for the taking.
After Ambris left, Hodge continued to shepherd the innings and changed from the supporting role to attack mode. He added 72 for the eighth-wicket with Terron Simon (26), who defended stubbornly before he was adjudged lbw late in the day.
Leewards fast bowler Nino Henry bowled with great heart and ended with excellent figures of five for 46 from 16 overs.
He was, however, unlucky as he watched both Hodge and Ambris dropped in the space of three balls early in the piece. The mistakes proved costly as the two batsmen then cashed in.
Earlier in the morning exchanges, Leewards added 84 runs to their overnight 158 for six.
Skipper Rahkeem Cornwall topscored with 70 off 110 balls, while Wasim Mintos scorched 47 in quick time with two sixes.
Left-arm spinner Larry Edward (5-68) picked up his second five-wicket haul, while off-spinner Simon wrapped up the tail with four for 51.