ST JOHN’S – Barbados Pride slumped to their second successive defeat in the West Indies Super50 Cup in Antigua, when they were upstaged by a maiden List A hundred from former West Indies Under-19 batsman Keacy Carty, that carried Leeward Islands Hurricanes to an unlikely four-wicket win.
Pride, led by 96 from West Indies Test batsman Shamarh Brooks, gave a significantly improved batting performance to set the Hurricanes 302 for victory, but Carty, dropped twice in his knock, delighted fans of the host team with a run-a-ball, unbeaten 123 to take his side over the finish line under the lights at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG).
Pride appeared to be in control when the Hurricanes entered the final five overs needing 68 to win, but left-hander Hayden Walsh Jr, a very familiar foe to the Barbadian franchise, swung the match decisively when he struck Chemar Holder for 26 in the 47th over.
Though captain Jason Holder had Walsh caught at extra cover for 28 with the second ball of the next over, the damage had been done and Carty, 23, kept his nerve to anchor his side the rest of the way.
Chemar Holder was again the suffering bowler, when Terrence Warde formalised the result with three balls remaining with a searing straight drive for four to help his side rebound from a 31-run defeat against Windward Islands Volcanoes in the tournament opener this past Sunday at the CCG.
Pride are now under severe pressure to win their final three matches in the tournament to stand any chance of reaching the semi-finals, after they lost the opener against Guyana Jaguars two days earlier at the same venue.
They have five days to regroup before they face favourites Trinidad & Tobago Red Force in a daytime match next Tuesday at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
Brooks struck eight fours and one six from 88 balls and missed out on his maiden List A hundred, when he was trapped lbw in the 44th over, essaying a pull at a leg-break from Walsh that kept low.
He shared a record 160 for the third wicket with left-hander Jonathan Carter to propel Pride to 301 for eight from their allocation of 50 overs, after they chose to bat.
Carter supported with 58 from 91 balls, Zachary McCaskie got 40, fellow opener Justin Greaves made 38 and West Indies batsman Roston Chase added 33 in a strong show from the Pride top-order.
Pacer Quinton Boatswain was the pick of the Hurricanes bowlers with four for 62 from his allotment of 10 overs – including the scalps of Jason Holder, Chase and Tevyn Walcott in his final over – and leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr finished with three for 75 from his 10 overs.
Summarised scores:
Barbados Pride 301 for eight off 50 overs (Shamarh Brooks 96, Jonathan Carter 58, Zachary McCaskie 40, Justin Greaves 38, Roston Chase 33; Quinton Boatswain 4-62, Hayden Walsh Jr 3-75). Leeward Islands Hurricanes 302 for six off 49.3 overs (Keacy Carty 123 not out, Nitish Kumar 41, Kieran Powell 25, Devon Thomas 23, Ross Powell 21; Jason Holder 2-58, Chemar Holder 2-71). Hurricanes won by four wickets. (AR)
