ST JOHN’SJOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Rookie opener Mikyle Louis struck a maiden first-class hundred. At the same time, veteran left-hander Jonathan Carter notched his sixth to headline the opening day of Wednesday’sWednesday’s second round of matches in the West Indies Championship.
At Warner Park in St Kitts, the 23-year-old Louis spearheaded Leeward Islands Hurricanes’Hurricanes’ domination of reigning champions Guyana Harpy Eagles with a knock of 113 as the hosts piled up 299 for six.
Meanwhile, the 36-year-old Carter gathered an unbeaten 108 at Sabina Park in Kingston as Combined Campuses and Colleges finished the day on 260 for seven against Jamaica Scorpions.
Also in Jamaica at Kensington Park, Jeremy Solozano and Kimani Melius struck unbeaten half-centuries to lead a strong Windward Islands Volcanoes reply after Barbados Pride was dismissed for 214.
Volcanoes ended on 123 without loss.
At Conaree Sports Club in St Kitts, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force were closing in on an innings lead after bowling out West Indies Academy for 163 and closing the day on 128 for three.
Louis, who scored a fifty on first-class debut last week, impressed yet again at the top of the order in an inning which required 221 deliveries and included ten fours and five sixes.
Jahmar Hamilton followed up his half-century in the first round with 77. At the same time, captain Rahkeem Cornwall blasted a typically cavalier unbeaten 39 off 54 balls with a half-dozen fours and a six.
Opting to bat first, Hurricanes flourished when Louis put on 33 for the first wicket with Kofi James (12) and a further 31 for the second wicket with Keacy Carty (13).
Louis and Terrance Warde (23) then engaged in a 54-run, third-wicket partnership which took the hosts to lunch on 90 for two before Warde and debutant Jewel Andrew (0) fell in the space of three deliveries with three runs added to leave the innings perched on 121 for four.
Warde played across one from seamer Ronaldo Alimohamed (2-49) and was lbw while 17-year-old Andrew, just back from the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa, skied the first delivery he faced to cover off left-arm spinner Antony Adams.
In need of a partnership, Hurricanes were galvanized by a 119-run, fifth wicket stand between Louis and Hamilton, the latter of whom faced 122 deliveries and struck 11 fours and a six.
Veteran left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul eventually got the breakthrough when he pinned Louis lbw on the back foot.
Carter grabbed a share of the headlines when he struck a dozen fours in a knock lasting 182 balls to rescue CCC after they were sent in.
With his side stumbling at 50 for three, Carter put on 38 for the fourth wicket with Test batsman Shamarh Brooks (36), 34 for the fifth with Demario Richards (8) before adding a further 63 in a seventh-wicket stand with Sion Hackett, who made a breezy 30 off 46 deliveries.
In his 95th first-class game, Carter ensured his side ended the day intensely when he anchored an unbroken 55-run, eighth-wicket partnership with Zishan Motara, who was unbeaten on 28.
Meanwhile, Solozano struck an unbeaten 63 off 110 balls with eight fours, while Melius hit an unbeaten 52 off 113 balls with four fours to deny Pride any success.
Kevin Wickham had earlier top-scored with 74 for Pride after they were asked to bat, the right-hander facing 104 deliveries and lashing ten fours.
Retired Test gloveman Shane Dowrich chipped in with 37, posting 88 for the sixth wicket with Wickham to pull Pride around from 53 for five after fast bowler Ryan John (4-47) had hurt the top order.
Red Force dominated after being asked to bowl first, and new ball pacers Jayden Seales (3-26) and Anderson Phillip (3-63) claimed three wickets apiece to send WI Academy tumbling.
Teddy Bishop, fresh from making his international debut in Australia earlier this month, top-scored with 65 off 74 deliveries with a dozen fours, while Joshua Bishop (32 not out) and Johann Layne (27) propped up the lower order.
Opener Vikash Mohan struck a maiden first-class half-century with 54 to lead Red Force’s reply, the right-hander counting ten fours in a breezy 87-ball innings.
Fellow opener Cephas Cooper struck 28 while left-hander Amir Jangoo finished unbeaten on 24, left-arm spinner Bishop accounting for both openers to finish with two for 35.
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