… 277-9 at end of day one

GUYANA Harpy Eagles and Windward Islands Volcanoes are locked in an intense battle after day one of their first-class match at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad.

Inserting themselves, Volcanoes reached stumps 277-9, and while fluent half-centuries from Alick Athanaze and Devon Smith gave them early momentum, it is an unbroken last-wicket stand of 62 between bowlers Preston McSween and Shermon Lewis which kept Eagles in the field for the entire day.

McSween has struck four fours and two sixes in his 54-ball knock of 47 – his joint-highest first-class score – while Lewis is solid on 12 from 56 balls.

Spinners Gudakesh Motie (3-61) and Veerasammy Permaul (3-75) took wickets while seamer Keemo Paul had 3-63.

The 40-year-old Smith after a shaky start, grew in stature with some lusty blows off Permaul, and reached his 64th first-class half-century, just before Paul met his demise on 52 (9×4).

Smith and Athanaze produced a proactive partnership of 49 and the latter, a former West Indies Under-19, looked in sweet touch, good enough for a triple-figure score.

However, after the 23-year-old got his fourth half-century, he brought his own undoing trying a reverse sweep off Permaul to be adjudged leg-before for 68 (5×4).

The left-hander and Keron Cottoy (34) had added 63 for the third wicket, and his dismissal was part of a double-wicket bowl, with Paul trapping Denis Smith (10) next ball.

From 190-4, Volcanoes slipped to 195-6 when Motie bowled Kimani Mileus for three after he resumed his innings from a concussion.

Action resumes today at 10:00hrs.