Powell hits ton, but Leewards lose big

BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CMC):

Twenty-year-old opener Kieran Powell stroked his maiden first-class century, but it failed to prevent Leeward Islands from an innings defeat at the hand of England Lions in St Kitts yesterday.

The flashy left-hander hit 131 as the Leewards, responding to the Lions' massive 553 for six declared, were dismissed for 306 on the third day of their first round West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Four-day Tournament at Warner Park.

Asked to follow on 247 runs behind, the Leewards collapsed to 127 all out, to lose by an innings and 20 runs.

Fast bowler Jade Dernbach was the architect of the hosts' demise, snapping up five for 16 in a devastating spell.

Leading the resistance

Earlier, Powell led the Leewards resistance after resuming the day unbeaten on 82, with his side on 148 for two.

He reached his century with a tickle off his hip for four as Leewards pressed on but then lost captain Steve Liburd for 30, caught at second slip off Ravi Bopara's first ball of the day, after adding just nine to his overnight score.

Omari Banks (1) was lbw to seamer James Harris (2-75) offering no stroke at 182 for four and wickets fell steadily until Powell also perished, caught at mid-on off Dernbach (2-87).

Gavin Tonge hit a cameo 38 from 22 balls with five fours and two sixes to underpin a whirlwind 61-run, eighth wicket stand with Justin Athanaze (25), to push the Leewards beyond 300.

There were no heroics in the second innings, however, as Leewards flopped spectacularly.

Powell got 27 from 24 balls with six fours, but when he was trapped lbw by Harris at 32 for three, a clatter of wickets followed.

LIONS 1st Innings 553-6 decl. (J Hildreth 149, C Kieswetter 116 not out)

LEEWARDS 1st Innings

(overnight 148 for two)

M Hodge c Adams b Dernbach 0K Powell c Bopara b Dernbach 131S Burton lbw b Danny Briggs 40S Liburd c Adams b Bopara 30O Banks lbw b Harris 1T Willett c wkp Kieswetter b Stokes 14+D Thomas lbw b Briggs 5G Tonge c Bopara b Harris 38J Athanaze lbw b Buck 25L Baker c Hildreth b Briggs 4A Martin not out 0Extras: (b1, lb12, nb5) 18

TOTAL: (all out, 92.1 overs) 306

Fall of wickets: 1- 6, 2-89, 3-171, 4-182, 5-218, 7-240, 8-301, 9-306, 10-306.

Bowling: Dernbach 17-3-87-2, Harris 22-3-75-2, Buck 16-6-34-1, Briggs 21.1-5-44-3, Bopara 12-2-41-1, Stokes 4-1-12-1.

LEEWARDS 2nd Innings

M Hodge c Adams b Dernbach 2K Powell lbw b Harris 27S Burton c wkp Kieswetter b Dernbach 2S Liburd b Buck 12T Willett lbw b Dernbach 0+D Thomas c Buck b Bopara 6O Banks b Dernbach 0J Athanaze not out 42G Tonge c Bopara b Briggs 30L Baker lbw b Briggs 4A Martin c Stokes b Dernbach 0Extras: (lb2) 2TOTAL: (all out, 38.3 overs) 127

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-28, 3-32, 4-37, 5-37, 6-47, 7-55, 8-103, 9-126, 10-127.

Bowling: Dernbach 10.3-4-16-5, Harris 5-1-13-1, Buck 7-1-31-1, Briggs 7-1-34-2, Bopara 6-3-4-1, Stokes 3-0-27-0.

Result: England Lions won by an innings and 120 runs.

Toss: Lions.

Umpires: Luther Kelly, Lennox Abraham.