BASSETERRE, St Kitts – The Combined Campuses & Colleges (CCC) ended day one of their opening round Regional 4-Day match against the Leeward Islands in a strong position.The hosts won the toss and elected to bat first at Warner Park, but were soon made to regret that decision. Within nine overs, the runs were crawling, and they had already lost a wicket.
Mali Richards and Montcin Hodge buckled down for the Leewards and had relatively few troubles as they added 44 runs together.
However, in a horrible turn of events, Hodge was run-out for 27 in a terrible mix-up with Richards. Both had taken the score to 55-2. The mishap seemed to unfaze Richards, who continued along solidly, taking the Leewards to lunch on 75/2.
Early in the second session, Richards brought up his 50, in what was a patient knock off 107 balls. Sylvester Joseph at the other end also seemed to be settling nicely. But the story of the day was that the Leewards couldn’t put large partnerships together.
Hodge didn’t add a run after getting to 50, as he was trapped lbw by Akeem Dewar. His solid knock contained nine boundaries.
The CCC bowlers then managed to start a slide in the Leewards batting line-up. Dewar soon accounted for skipper Devon Thomas, while Ryan Austin had Tonito Willet. Suddenly, the Leewards were 147-5.
Ten runs later and they had lost another three wickets. Eventually, the hosts were bowled out for 164 runs. Dewar finished with 4-42 while Austin took 3-31.
The Leewards managed to get an early breakthrough in CCC’s first innings as Anthony Alleyne was caught at slip brilliantly by Anthony Martin. However, Shacaya Thomas and Kyle Corbin ensured the visitors would lose no further wickets for the day, as both batsmen buckled down and formed a partnership.
Thomas brought up his 50 close to the end of day one. The pair took the score to 83 before Corbin was caught by Martin to give Willett his first wicket. The CCC ended the day on 90-2 with Thomas unbeaten on 56 and Raymon Reifer on six not out. Thomas has hit nine boundaries so far in his 83-ball knock.
Gavin Tonge and Willett both took a wicket each. The College Students finished on 90-2, trailing Leewards first innings score by 74 runs at stumps on the opening day.

LEEWARDS first innings
M. Hodge run-out (Dewar) 27
L. Richardson c McClean b Williams 2
M. Richards lbw Dewar 50
S. Joseph c Dewar b Austin 39
D. Thomas c Corbin b Austin 8
T. Willett c Hodge b Austin 9
J. Hamilton c Corbin b Dewar 15
H. Walsh Jr c Jacobs b Austin 0
G. Tinge Williams b Austin 2
K. Walters run-out Thomas 0
A. Martin not out 0
Total: (all out, 60.4 overs) 164
Extras: (lb-8, nb-4) 12
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-55, 3-124, 4-47, 5-47, 6-47, 7-48, 8-57, 9-64..
Bowling: Kevin McClean 8-4-20-0, Kesrick Williams 7-2-19-1, Steven Jacobs 16-6-30-0, Raymon Reifer 4-1-14-0, Ryan Austin 14-2-31-3, Akeem Dewar 11.4-2-42-4.
COMBINED Campuses & Colleges 1st innings
S. Thomas not out 56
A. Alleyne c Martin b Tonge 9
K. Corbin Martin b Willett 18
R. Reifer not out 6
Total: ( 2 wkts, 27 overs) 90
Extras: (lb-1) 1
Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-83
Bowling: Gavin Tonge 6-1-21-1, Kelbert Walters 4-0-39-0, Anthony Martin 9-4-18-0, Tonito Willett 6-3-4-1, Hayden Walsh Jr 2-0-7-0.
CCC trail Leeward Islands by 74 runs.