Windward Islands Volcanoes win super-50 title with pride

Windward Islands Volcanoes beat Barbados Pride by three wickets last Saturday night at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua and Barbuda, to be crowned the new Regional Super-50 Festival One-Day champions.

 The Volcanoes, who had lost their first three matches in the preliminary round to the CCC, Barbados Pride and Hampshire, then won seven matches on the trot, including last Saturday’s final.

 In the title deciding match, chasing Barbados Pride’s total of 232 for 9 made in 50 overs, Windwards Volcanoes responded with 236 for 7 in 49.3 overs, to win with three balls to spare.

 In a match that ebbed and flowed, Volcanoes were carried over the line by West Indies Under-19 batsman Alick Athanaze and fellow Dominican and captain Shane Shillingford.

 The two shared in an unbroken stand of 31, with Athanaze making 23 not out and Shillingford, 7 not out.

 Earlier, a stand of 80, between Roland Cato (54) and Kavem Hodge (39), stitched up the response, after the Volcanoes were left in a spot of bother at 72 for 3, losing Devon Smith for 29, Johnson Charles for 16 and Kirk Edwards for 10.

 The loss of Hodge and Cato was followed by the return to the pavilion of Kyle Mayers for 32 and Ryan John, 6, before Athanaze and Shillingford took Windward Volcanoes to their fourth regional limited over title.

 Dominic Drakes of Barbados Pride picked up 3 for 38.

 Earlier, Barbados Pride had won the toss and elected to bat.

Jonathan Carter stroked eight fours and a six in the top score of 80, while Roston Chase made 44 and Captain Kraigg Brathwaite contributed 30.

Obed McCoy took 2 for 29, Larry Edward had 2 for 41 and Shane Shillingford, 2 for 44.

Roland Cato was named Man of the Match.

Roston Chase scored the most runs (558), Shane Shillingford, the most wickets (23), while Trinidad and Tobago’s Red Force’s Denesh Ramdin and the Volcanoes’ Andre Fletcher shared the wicketkeeper award.

Meanwhile, the Red Force’s Evin Lewis and the Volcanoes’ Kirk Edwards were named best fielders.

Before last Saturday’s win, the Windward Islands, as they were known then, won the  Geddes Grant Shield in 1989, the Red Stripe Bowl in 2001, and the Regional Super-50 in 2013.