A destructive spell from Isai Thorne propelled the West Indies Academy to an innings and 134 runs win against Emerging Ireland in their four-day, first-class match. The 19-year-old pacer ended with a brilliant figures of 4-8 from six overs to follow up his 4-33 in the first innings and end with eight wickets on his first-class debut. The Irish were bowled out for 62 in their second innings before lunch on the penultimate day of the contest at the Coolidge Cricket Ground. Left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop grabbed 2-5 from 4.4 overs to earn the Player-of-the-Match award, after he made a blazing 102 not out on Sunday. Bishop formalised the result about 45 minutes before lunch when he got Matthew Foster caught at deep mid-wicket for four, and Emerging Ireland lost their last seven wickets for 29 in the span of 93 balls.

Academy captain Nyeem Young finished with 2-15 from six overs – and none of the visitors’ batsmen reached 20. The result meant the CWI Academy took a 1-0 lead in the two-match series that ends with the second match starting this coming Saturday at the same venue. Thorne bowled with freighting pace and got the ball to bounce and trouble the batsmen. He struck with the second ball of the day after Emerging Ireland started the day on 29-3, and he bowled the Irish captain Stephen Doheny without addition to his overnight score of 17.

He followed up with two wickets in his next over when he squared up Scott Macbeth and got him caught for one at third slip, where Gavin Hoey was also caught for a third-ball “duck” pushing at a delivery outside the off-stump. After going wicket-less in his third over, Thorne got Fionn Hand caught at backward point for eight off the leading edge essaying to flick at the final ball of his fourth over, and Emerging Ireland were in deep trouble on 45-7 and they never recovered. The series is an opportunity for emerging talent in the West Indies system to gain high-quality playing time, along with the experience of playing against counterparts as part of their preparation to play at the highest level.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)