West Indies strokemaker Keacy Carty of Leeward Islands Hurricanes. (CMC)
CMC – West Indies strokemaker Keacy Carty hit his second regional one-day hundred to help Leeward Islands Hurricanes avert danger and clinch a three-wicket win over a plucky West Indies Academy in the opening game of the Super50 Cup in Antigua on Saturday.
With the hosts languishing on 27 for three in the ninth over in pursuit of 191 at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, the right-handed Carty stepped up with an unbeaten 103 from 120 balls which put his side over the line at the end of the 39th over.
The only other batsman to pass 20 was Terrance Ward with an unbeaten 23 from 30 deliveries, combining with Carty in a crucial seventh wicket stand worth 56 to defy the Academy side.
Earlier, the Academy had been limited to 190 for nine from their 50 overs, discarded Test off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall snatching four for 40 and fellow slow bowler Kofi James, two for 35.
Kevin Wickham top-scored with 44 from 47 balls with four fours and two sixes, posting 68 for the third wicket with Keagan Simmons who made 43 from 73 balls, the pair pulling the innings out of trouble at five for two in the second over.
They were eventually part of a slide that saw three wickets tumble for 33 runs but Kevlon Anderson struck 35 from 67 balls in a 42-run, sixth wicket stand with Leonardo Julien (18 not out) to salvage the innings.
Left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop (4-40) then handed the Academy side a superb start when he removed veteran openers Kieran Powell (8) and Devon Thomas (0) to catches at first slip by Teddy Bishop, leaving Hurricanes tottering on 23 for two in the seventh over.
And when he got Karima Gore to sky to backward point in the ninth to claim his third wicket, Hurricanes were struggling early in their run chase.
Karty, who counted 10 fours and two sixes, then patched up the innings in a series of partnerships, first adding 51 for the fourth wicket with captain Jahmar Hamilton (11), 21 for the fifth with James (7) before anchoring another half-century stand with Ward.
When Ward perished at the start of the 34th with the contest still in the balance, Hayden Walsh Jr (18 not out) arrived to put on 33 in an unbroken, eighth wicket stand with Carty and further frustrate the emerging players.
