Harper scores 50s in each innings

WINDWARD opener Wayne Harper impressed with two half-centuries but the two-day development match against Leeward Islands ended in a draw at the National Cricket Centre, Balmain, Couva, yesterday. Harper made 57 in the first innings when Windward Islands compiled a challenging 235. And he was undefeated on 56 in his team’s second innings of 110 for two wickets when the match ended with only six of the mandatory 15 overs completed.

Scores: WINDWARDS 235 and 110 for 2 vs LEEWARDS 70. Harper had Dalton Polius 60, to help him rally the Windwards on the opening day of the historic two-day match of the CLICO West Indies Under-15 Challenge competition. This match marks the first-ever two-day two-innings encounter in the annual regional under-15 competition. It is a new feature introduced to prepare the youngsters for the two innings grind over a two-day period. And the Windwards star player Polius, who has secured three “Man of the  Match” awards in the  previous 50-overs-a-side matches, batted for 135 minutes, four fours off 124 balls and shared an important 82-run third wicket partnership with Harper.

Harper struck five boundaries off 162 balls in  his innings which lasted 196 minutes. Shelton Hooper rattled up a brisk 22 with two fours off  38 balls while Dilhorn Johnson scored 26. Best bowlers for the Leewards were Chesney Hughes who took two for 36, Oswald Scotland two for 41, Joseph Williams two for 38 and Jeron Jones two or 54. Leewards were bundled out for a meagre 70 when they batted with only Scotland reaching double figures with 19.

Rightarm medium pacer Oscar George had figures of 12-6-8-4 and leg spinner Keron Cottoy  11-8-15-3. In the Windwards second innings, Wayne Harper lashed nine fours off 84 balls. Leewards skipper Keron Powell took both wickets to fall for 22 runs.

Summarised score:  At NCC, Balmain: WINDWARDS 235 - W Harper 57, D Polius 60, S Hooper 22, D Johnson 26; C Hughes 2/36, O Scotland 2/41, J Williams 2/38, J Jones 2/54 and 110/2 - W Harper 56 not out, K Powell 2/22 vs LEEWARDS 70 - O Scotland 19; Oscar George 4/8, K Cottoy 3/15.