ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Leeward Islands Hurricanes suffered a second straight defeat in the Regional Super50 when they went down to English County Kent by nine wickets in their Group B encounter here yesterday.
Hurricanes, without the mainstay of their batting, Rahkeem Cornwall, who has been called up to West Indies A duty, suffered a collapse and could muster only 183 all out in the 50th over.
Terrance Ward, batting at number five, top-scored with 71 but no other Hurricanes batsman managed to make it past 20.
Fast bowlers Will Gidman (3-31) and Ivan Thomas (3-45) finished with three wickets apiece while fellow seamer Calum Haggett picked up two for 37.
Kent coasted in reply, reaching their target in the 45th over, with 20-year-old opener Zak Crawley narrowly missing out on three figures with an unbeaten 99.
The right-hander faced 140 deliveries and struck eight fours, staging two key stands to wipe out any hope Hurricanes may have entertained of a come-from-behind win.
He added 81 for the first wicket with Daniel Bell-Drummond whose 39 came from 66 deliveries and included four fours.
When Bell-Drummond perished in the 21st over via run-out, Crawley put on a further 106 in an unbroken second-wicket stand with Sean Dickson who was unbeaten on 44 off 61 deliveries at the end.
Hurricanes had earlier failed to make the most of a recovery from suffering a dodgy start, after being asked to bat first at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
They lost the in-form Montcin Hodge in the fourth over for two with six on the board but West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels (18) and opener Keacy Carty (17) added 36 for the second wicket to steady the innings.
However, both fell in the space of 14 deliveries with two runs added to leave Hurricanes on 44 for three in the 13th over.
Warde started the recovery when he posted 35 for the fourth wicket with Devon Thomas (17) and that revival continued in a 37-run fifth-wicket stand with Akeal Hosein (15).
All told, he faced 91 balls and struck five fours and a pair of sixes.
Hosein’s departure in the 32nd over triggered the final collapse as the last six wickets went down for just 67 runs.
