Rahkeem “Jimbo” Cornwall, struck a century during a Leeward Islands intra-squad three-day game at Ball Beef, Liberta Village over the weekend.
Cornwall captained Team B in the drawn affair against Team A which was skippered by wicketkeeper/batsman Jahmar Hamilton.
The allrounder slammed an unbeaten 107 in his side’s first innings for a total of 225 all out in 78.1 overs.
The burly right-hander batted for 193 minutes, faced 141 balls and smashed away 5 sixes and 11 fours.
Cornwall shared a 60 run sixth wicket partnership with Nino Henry, who made just eight runs.
Opener Montcin Hodge (32) was just one of four Leeward Islands Team B batsmen to reach double figures.
Kian Pemberton picked up three wickets for 29 runs in 12 overs while leg spinner, Hayden Walsh Jr., captured 3 for 33 in 13 overs.
Cornwall’s team still conceded a 121-run first innings deficit to Leeward Islands Team A, however, after they won the toss and opted to take first strike at the crease.
Left-handed opener, Kieran Powell, missed out on a century by one run as the Leeward Islands Team A posted an impressive 346 for 7, declared, in 106 overs.
Kieran Powell tallied 99 in 313 minutes of batting during which he faced 189 balls, and struck 13 fours and a six.
He shared an 82 run third wicket partnership with Terrance Ward who made 33, and was involved in a 65 run opening stand with Mikyle Louis, who scored 32.
Karima Gore struck 54 off 82 balls with 6 fours and a six, and shared a sixth wicket partnership with Jeremiah Louis, who also cracked 54 not out off 83 balls with 6 fours and a six.
Off spinner, Kofi James, claimed 2 for 19 and Cornwall, bowling his right-arm off spin, also picked up 2 wickets for 32 runs in 13 overs.
The Leewards Islands Team A then made 96 for 7, declared, in 30 overs with Kofi James snapping up 4 for 18 and pacer Nino Henry taking 2 wickets for 7 runs.
Set 218 for victory, Leewards Islands Team B were struggling on 50 for 4 at the end of the match.
The tall, teenage off spinner, Onaje Amory, captured 2 wickets for 20 runs.
The match formed part of the Leeward’s preparations ahead of this week’s start of the West Indies Championship, the region’s first class four-day red ball tournament in which the first two rounds of matches will be played in Antigua and Grenada.
The tournament will open with the Windward Islands Volcanoes hosting Trinidad & Tobago Red Force at the Grenada National Stadium (GNS). This match will start this Tuesday and will continue from 1st to 3rd February.
In Antigua, defending champions, Barbados Pride, will start their bid for a third straight title when they face Guyana Harpy Eagles in the feature match at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium (SVRCS) from 1st to 4th February.
The third contest will see the Leeward Islands Hurricanes hosting the Jamaica Scorpions at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) from 1st to 4th February.
The second round will be played from 8th to 11th February when Barbados Pride meets Jamaica Scorpions at CCG.
Trinidad & Tobago Red Force will then travel to face the Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the SVRCS, and the Guyana Harpy Eagles will take on Windward Islands Volcanoes at GNS.
The third round of the West Indies Championship resumes on 15th March with the final round concluding on 1st April when the 2023 champions will be crowned and presented with the Headley Weekes Trophy.
The final three rounds will all be played in Trinidad and Tobago at venues which will be announced later.
