WI 4-Day Championships 2023: Guyana Harpy Eagles humble Barbados Pride

– Smith bags 5-31

By Brandon Corlette

The Guyana Harpy Eagles have defied all odds to come up with a massive 183-run victory against defending champions Barbados Pride at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.
In this first-round clash of the West Indies 4-Day Championships, Harpy Eagles set Pride a target of 278 runs for victory, but Pride could manage only 94 all out in 36 overs, as Nial Smith claimed 5-31 in 10 overs, his third five-wicket haul in First-Class cricket.

Debutant Jonathan Drakes was the only Pride batsman to put up a resistance with his 36 on the final day. The Harpy Eagles bowlers were just too hot to handle.
The Tucber Park fast-bowling duo of Nial Smith and Shamar Joseph were red hot in competition. Smith found the edge of Sheyne Moseley for a duck, with Bramble claiming the catch, and Joseph exacted revenge when he trapped Zachary McCaskie for four, to reduce the Pride total to 9-2. Joseph, who had bowled the first ball of the second innings in his debut match, had been dispatched for a boundary by McCaskie, but he rebounded by striking McCaskie on the body and then trapping him at the crease.
After the early lunch break had come to an end, the Guyana Harpy Eagles were noticeably energized during the second session. Beaton, playing in his first First-Class match since March 2016, bowled with venom and made the Barbadians smell leather. Brooks was the first of Beaton’s wickets when he was squared up and caught at the gully by substitute fielder Akshaya Persaud. Brooks made 12, after scoring a fifty in the first innings.

The Pride score was quickly reduced to 35-4 when the clueless Nicholas Kirton was caught behind off the veteran Permaul. Kirton, who made two in the first innings, fell for a duck in the second. One run later, Shemar Springer played a loose drive and was caught by Beaton off Peramul. Springer failed to trouble the scores after facing two balls.
Shane Dowrich, who was unable to bat in the first innings due to illness, came and went for a duck. He edged a quick Beaton delivery to first slip, and was caught by Leon Johnson to render the Pride score at 38-6 in 20.4 overs.
Smith continued to produce wickets as the Pride batsmen looked out of sorts before ending their innings on 94 in 35 overs. In addition to Smith’s five-wicket haul, Beaton had 2-11 in eight overs and Permaul had 2-18 in eight overs.

Permaul shows fight with bat

Resuming the day on 91-8, Guyana Harpy Eagles declared their innings closed at 126-9 in 44.1 overs. Marathon man Veerasammy Permaul was the wicket to fall for Guyana this morning, after he missed a Chaim Holder delivery and was cleaned up for 33 from 49 balls. Permaul added 36 runs with his fellow Berbician Nial Smith, who was unbeaten on 12 when the declaration came. Akeem Jordan ended with 3-32 in 15 overs, while Keon Harding had 3-37 in eight overs for Pride.
At 10:21h, rain intervened with Guyana on 112-8, but played resumed at 10:38h. Guyana declared the innings at 10:58h.
Guyana will now play against Windward Islands Volcanoes from February 8 in Grenada.