West Indies 4-Day Championship 2023: Guyana Harpy Eagles craft greatest comeback win
By Brandon Corlette
GCB President Bissoondyal Singh made a presentation to the winning captain Leon Johnson
Leon Johnson and his spirited team of Guyana Harpy Eagles have pulled off a miracle win to clinch the West Indies 4-Day Championship. Playing in the final round of the competition at Providence, Guyana took the last nine Hurricanes’ wickets for 44 runs to stun the Leeward Islands with a 17-run win.
Kevin Sinclair, continuing to grow from strength to strength, has claimed career-best figures of 6-33 in 16.5 overs to bowl out the Leeward Islands Hurricanes for 125-5 in 45.5 overs.
Steven Jacobs made a presentation to his former teammate Leon Johnson
The Hurricanes resumed the final day on 81-1, requiring another 63 runs to win. Johnson and his men came out with energy in the morning session, and Sinclair opened the floodgates with the wicket of Keacy Carty. Carty, from St Maarten, made 21 and added a 50-run partnership for the second wicket with Kieran Powell.
Devon Thomas fell to Sinclair two balls after Carty for a duck; and Jahmar Hamilton, former Test player and captain of the Hurricanes, also fell for a duck, this time to Permaul. The Berbician Permaul got one to turn and bounce, and it hit the top of off-stump.
Kevin Sinclair claimed six wickets in a big win
The Green Stand with the families and friends of cricketers erupted, as did the drummers who were present. Wickets fell like dominoes from both ends. Antony Adams also got into the act, and the final nail in the Hurricanes’ coffin came when Kieran Powell fell at 115-6 in 40.1 overs.
Powell top-scored with 61 from 105, but he fell to Permaul.
The electric atmosphere at Providence grew stronger as the President of the Guyana Cricket Board, Bissoondyal Singh, was also present to witness the Championship win.
Sinclair ended with 6-33 from 16.5 top overs. His career-best figures had three maidens, and he had the final wicket of the morning.
That was the moment which saw the Guyanese players jumping for joy, and Johnson was in tears of joy as he had a dream sendoff, winning his sixth Championship in eight seasons.
Permaul had 3-44 in 15 overs as Guyana completed a memorable win. The GCB also honoured Johnson for his efforts as a national player, while Cricket West Indies also thanked Johnson for his services.
