Under the watchful skies of Port of Spain, the Guyana Harpy Eagles etched their names into West Indies cricket history once more.
On the final day of the seventh-round clash at Queen’s Park Oval, the defending champions secured a dramatic draw against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force — a result that sealed their triumphant defense of the West Indies Championship title.
A battle of wills
The Harpy Eagles entered Saturday with the championship nearly within their grasp, holding a commanding lead in the standings. But standing in their way were the second-placed Red Force, clinging to a thread of hope and in desperate need of a miraculous turn.
Resuming their second innings at 101 for two — still trailing by 122 runs — the Red Force found resilience in their seasoned campaigners. Veteran batsman Jason Mohammed turned back the clock with a scintillating 125 off 186 balls, his 17th first-class century, blending defiance with finesse. Supporting him at the other end was the spirited captain Joshua Da Silva, who powered his way to a vibrant 77 from just 79 deliveries.
Together, their partnership breathed life into the innings, lifting the Red Force to 370 for nine before the declaration.
Harpy Eagles’ bowlers apply the pressure
Despite the defiant batting effort, the Harpy Eagles’ spinners maintained a stranglehold. Left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd was relentless, picking up 4 for 105, while the ever-reliable Veerasammy Permaul chipped in with 3 for 138. Their control and consistency ensured that the Red Force could not surge far enough ahead to pose a genuine threat.
Needing just 147 to win, the Harpy Eagles were in no rush. Opener Raymond Perez calmly anchored the response with a composed 26 not out, as the scoreboard ticked to 33 without loss. At that point, with no realistic path to victory for either side, captains shook hands and the match concluded in a draw.
A season of dominance
The result elevated the Guyana Harpy Eagles to an unassailable 126.6 points — a testament to their consistency, having secured victories in four of their seven matches. Regardless of the pending result between the Leeward Islands Hurricanes and Barbados Pride, no team could challenge their summit.
With this outcome, Guyana proudly celebrates back-to-back titles, their championship mettle once again on full display.
