Canada lost the Windwards, on Friday in the West Indies Regional 50 over tournament. As in their first match, the difference between the sides was a century by a West Indies Test player, this time 132 from Devon Smith who led Windwards to a massive 337/9 Canada put up a good fight in their reply – at one point they were 174/1 thanks to 80 from Dhaliwal and 55 from Thomas but fell 73 runs short.
Gunasekera and Pervez came into the Canadian eleven for this match. The Windwards won the toss and chose to bat. Cecil Pervez opened the bowling with a maiden. Eranga followed up with an excellent second over, and seemed unlucky not to have a leg-before appeal upheld. The first really loose ball came in the 4th over, as Devon Smith hit a wide half volley for four through the covers, and Theophile followed up with an off drive over the top for another boundary. Smith really took the attack to Pervez in the next over, hitting him for consecutive leg side sixes then smashing him through extra cover for four. Jacobs turned to spin early with Kumar and Salman Nazar but the Windwards bats continued to settle in with steady run accumulation. Salman Nazar made the breakthrough in the 12th over, with Theophile bowled by an arm ball. Dhaliwal provided an interesting approach bowling spin to one batsman and medium pace to the other, but after 20 overs, only one wicket had fallen. Kirk Edwards was dropped at long off off Dutta at 121/1 – not a difficult chance, and hit the next ball over long on for 6- also possibly catchable. Dutta was unfortunate again as Smith, on 70, was put down at short mid-wicket- a sharp chance. Edwards went on to make 61 before falling to a brilliant diving catch by Nikhil Dutta at long on off Eranga- 191/2 with 16 overs remaining. Smith advanced to an accomplished century. Dutta finally got his reward when Jacobs stumped Smith for 132, and caught Mayers next ball. Kavem Hodge however hit effectively for an unbeaten 84 from 46 balls, and despite a flurry of wickets at the end, Windwards totalled an intimidating 337/9.
Thmoas and Dhaliwal got the Canadian rely off to a solid start bringing up the 50 in the 9th over, despite Hodge’s left arm spin causing both some difficulty. Thomas finally got hold of Hodge, hitting him for 6 then 4 in the 10th over. Shillingford’s spin caused further problems, starting with a maiden, and bowling his first three overs for 5 runs, as Canada started to fall behind the required run rate. Thomas completed his second consecutive fifty from 58 balls. Dhaliwal brought up the hundred in the 17th over with a six off Shillingford but Thomas (55) was caught at long on in the same over.Dhaliwal completed his fifty and with partner Nitish Kumar kept Canada in the game with good batting- rotating the strike and hitting loose balls to the boundary. At the halfway mark Canada were 152/1. Kumar had made 38 of a 69 partnership when he was unlucky to play on, getting a bottom edge trying to pull a poor ball. Dhaliwal made 80, but played a tired shot to be caught and bowled – 193 with 17 overs remaining. Gunsekera was well caught at long on as he hit out with the run rate climbing towards 10. Wijeyeratne was bowled by off-spinner Athanaze- his third wicket. Jacobs had never got going and was run out, sent back by his partner, and Canada’s valiant effort was over. Thaker was caught in the deep, Pervez leg-before and Dutta caught in the deep. 19 year-old Athanaze bowled Salan Nazar to take his 5th wicket and finish off the innings- all out 264.