FOUR-DAY: Red Force’s last-wicket stand wrestles momentum away from Harpy Eagles

A stunning, counter-attacking tenth-wicket partnership turned the opening day of the West Indies Four-Day Championship upside down, as Trinidad and Tobago Red Force recovered from a clinical bowling assault to frustrate the Guyana Harpy Eagles at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

FULL SCORECARD: https://matchcentre.windiescricket.com/match/3b0b1451-f844-4668-bd79-a0082e6e297f/scorecard

When Shamar Joseph grassed a high, swirling chance off Jayden Seales in the final over of the day off Veerasammy Permaul, it encapsulated a bruising final session for the defending champions.

Seales, whose previous First-Class best was a modest 33, walked off unbeaten on a masterful 63 from just 71 balls.

Alongside Anderson Phillip, who dropped anchor with a gritty 15 not out from 46 deliveries, Seales shared an unbroken 78-run stand for the final wicket to haul the Red Force to 240 for 9 at stumps.

It was a position that seemed entirely improbable during a chaotic morning. For the majority of the day, the Harpy Eagles looked completely justified in their decision to bowl first on a track that initially offered extreme assistance.

However, the match threatened to grab headlines for all the wrong reasons just four balls into the opening session. Excess moisture caused a piece of the pitch to dislodge after a ball, prompting immediate concerns over player safety.

Images of the controversial round-two fixture between the Leeward Islands and Trinidad and Tobago at this very venue—which was abandoned due to dangerous, unpredictable bounce—loomed large.

Umpires swiftly halted play, ordering emergency pitch preparation. Following an extended delay and multiple inspections, play finally resumed after the lunch interval.

Guyana’s pace attack immediately made up for lost time. Nial Smith led the charge with a fiery spell, extracting sharp bounce and movement to finish the day with 3 for 51.

Keemo Paul was meticulously disciplined, returning exceptional figures of 2 for 16, while Gudakesh Motie chimed in with 2 for 45 to leave the Red Force reeling at 86 for 4 after 29 overs.

Jyd Goolie’s composed 26 was the only early resistance of note as Guyana threatened to bundle their rivals out for double digits.

Faced with a rapidly worsening situation, the Trinidad and Tobago lower order decided to fight fire with fire.

Terrance Hinds injected sudden urgency into the innings, smashing a brisk 29 off 25 balls, while Khary Pierre anchored the lower-order fightback with a crucial 40.

But it was the No. 11, Seales, who truly wrestled the momentum away. Exhibiting textbook strokeplay and a demeanour more akin to a seasoned top-order batsman than a frontline fast bowler, the West Indies Test player punished anything loose.

In stark contrast to Seales’ free-flowing aggression, Phillip operated with extreme caution, absorbing pressure and allowing his partner to dictate terms.

While the Harpy Eagles would have happily accepted restricting an opponent to 240 at the start of the day, the psychological blow of the late-afternoon resistance leaves the match finely poised

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