Windward Islands Volcanoes to salvage pride against Barbados

Despite having the tournament’s current leading run-scorer, and the regional first class all time batsman, with the highest aggregate of runs, Devon Smith, the Windward Islands Volcanoes are rooted to the foot of the 2017/2018 Professional Cricket League (PCL), after three rounds of matches.

But the Volcanoes who have, thus far, failed to explode, will be seeking to redeem themselves and give their campaign some respectability when they meet Barbados Pride from this Thursday, November 16, at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

A drawn match versus the Leeward Islands Hurricanes and losses to the Guyana Jaguars and to Trinidad and Tobago, detail the Volcanoes’ sojourn.

The Volcanoes again imploded last weekend to the Red Force, within three days at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Red Force’s ten-wicket win was firmed up by centuries from Denesh Ramdin who scored 116 and Jason Mohammed, 113, as they posted a sizeable 402.

Sherman Lewis took 5 for 65, Ray Jordan, 3 for 68 and Kyle Mayers, 2 for 78.

In reply, Volcanoes scored 166. Kavem Hodge made 46 and Taryck Gabriel, 38. Bowling for the Red Force, Imran Khan had 3 for 46, and there were two wickets apiece for Daniel St Clair, Tion Webster and Bryan Charles.

Devon Smith then carried his bat, scoring 119 not out and along with Shane Shillingford saw Volcanoes to 259.

It was Smith’s second ton for the season, having scored 185 not out versus the Leeward Islands Hurricanes, and he has so far made 337 runs from six innings.  

For the Red Force, Daniel St Clair captured 4 for 29, Imran Khan, 4 for 66 and Tion Webster, 2/] for 30.

Red Force, in search of 23 to win, reached 24 for 0, to trump by ten wickets.

Depleted in both batting and bowling departments, as only former West Indies off spinner Shane Shillingford, being the bowler of note in their line-up, the Volcanoes have relied on a bits and pieces bowling attack.

The emerging fast medium Sherman Lewis, along with rookie fast bowler Ray Jordan, part-time spinner Kavem Hodge and Liam Sebastien, have carried the brunt of the Volcanoes’ bowling.

They have had to do without servants Mervin Matthew, who has gone to the Leeward Hurricanes, while Kenroy Peters has called it a day and Delorn Johnson, is out injured.

Also, promising left-arm fast bowler Obed Mc Coy has suffered an injury.

To add to their woes, the Volcanoes are minus one of their batting pillows, in Sunil Ambris.

The prolific Ambris, who after representing the West Indies A against Sri Lanka A in three unofficial tests and ODIs recently in Jamaica, has received a higher calling and is with the West Indies test team in Australia, preparing for the test series against New Zealand in New Zealand, beginning later this month.