CRICKET-LEAD Sinclair soars with a fiver, but batters flop again – 3rd day, 3rd match.

ST JOHN’S, CMC – Guyana Harpy Eagles off-spinner Kevin Sinclair enhanced his reputation with a destructive spell. Still, the batters failed to make a lasting impression when Team Weekes claimed an eight-wicket win against Team Headley in the third and final match of the Headley-Weekes Tri-Series on Friday in Antigua.

Sinclair collected five for 48 from 21 overs, and Team Headley was bowled out for 153 in their second innings about five minutes past the scheduled lunch interval on the third day of the four-day, first-class match at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.

Set 96 to win. Team Weekes hardly broke a sweat reaching the target once openers Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Zachary McCaskie scored 33 and shared a first-wicket stand of 61.

Chanderpaul, the West Indies Test opener, and McCaskie, the Barbados Pride opener, fell before the win. Still, Team Weekes captain Alick Athanaze came to the crease and carried his side over the line with West Indies left-handed all-rounder Raymon Reifer.

The win was formalized about an hour and 40 minutes after lunch when Matthew Nandu, bowling his uncomplicated off-spin, delivered a no-ball.

The result meant that the inactive West Indies Academy, led by Barbadian all-rounder Nyeem Young, was formally crowned the inaugural champions of the Tri-Series, with Team Weekes second and Team Headley last.

Starting the day on 67 for two, Team Weekes was put into an early wobble when Sinclair was in the first and third overs of the day.

He got Sunil Ambris caught at long-on for four off the fourth ball of the day after the Windward Islands Volcanoes batsman added only three to his overnight score. He then trapped Volcanoes wicketkeeper-batsman Tevyn Walcott lbw for a three-ball duck in his next over.

West Indies wicketkeeper-batsman and Team Headley captain Joshua Da Silva spent 40 minutes in defiance and pushed his side closer to the 100 mark with Nandu.

Pacer Niall Smith got his Harpy Eagles teammate Nandu caught behind for the top score of 36 from a top-edged hook, and Sinclair trapped Da Silva lbw for 15 in the next over.

Team Headley was 95 for six, and they never recovered, losing their last four wickets for 33 in the span of 64 balls.