Volcanoes keep play-off hopes alive

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad:

A strong batting performance by the Windwards Islands Volcanoes' top order helped to keep their slim hopes alive of making the semi-finals of the Regional Super50 cricket match, as they registered a comfortable 98-run victory via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method over the Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners here on Wednesday night.

Alick Athanaze, Sunil Ambris and Kavem Hodge all scored brisk half centuries to propel the Volcanoes to 307 for seven in a contest that was reduced to 44 overs because of rain.

The Marooners were in with a fighting chance at the halfway stage but suffered a middle-order collapse to eventually fold for 213 in 36.3 overs.

The Volcanoes now sit in sixth position on 29 points with one match remaining, eight points behind the Leeward Islands Hurricanes, who currently occupy the fourth and final play-off spot, but have two games remaining.

After being sent in to bat, Athanaze and Stephan Pascal gave the Volcanoes a dream start by adding 127 runs for the first wicket inside 18 overs.

Leg-spinner Abhijai Mansingh broke the partnership when he dismissed Pascal for 41 and soon after, pacer Akeem Jordan accounted for Athanaze for the topscore of 77 from 75 balls, inclusive of 12 fours and one six, to leave the score 152 for two.

However, Hodge, who scored an even 50 and Ambris, who scored 70 from 63 balls, kept the Volcanoes in the ascendancy during an 83-run partnership for the third wicket.

By the time Hodge was dismissed by Romario Greaves to make the score 235 for three after 35 overs, the damage had already been done, leaving Ambris and Dillon Douglas and Darel Cyrus, who both had cameos, to put on the finishing touches.

Despite losing three early wickets, the Marooners were still in the match at 124 for three in the 25th over, until Shadrack Descarte triggered a collapse that saw them lose five wickets for 56 runs.

The medium pacer dismissed Crystian Thurton for 18, captain Shamarh Brooks for nine and Amari Goodridge for 18 in the space of eight overs, as the Marooners crumbled to 180 for eight.

The only real form of resistance came from Jonathan Drakes who scored 55 from 68 balls.

Descarte was the main destroyer with 4-43, while Darius Martin and Kenneth Dember took two wickets apiece.

-CMC