CAVE HILL, Barbados (CMC):

Windward Islands breathed life back into their season when they completed a seven-wicket victory over the Combined Campuses and Colleges in the WICB regional four-day competition yesterday.

Windward Islands were set 91 for victory, after they dismissed the CCC for 186 in their second innings about five minutes before tea on the third and penultimate day of their fourth-round match yesterday at the Three Ws Oval.

Bowling

They formalised the result about five minutes before the scheduled close when, fittingly, their embattled captain Rawl Lewis pulled a long-hop from Romel Currency, bowling slow-medium pace, high over mid-wicket for six.

For the Windwards, this was a welcome result, following two straight, heavy defeats. They had lost their second match to Barbados by an innings and 66 runs at Progress Park in Grenada, and then crashed to a 166-run defeat to Trinidad and Tobago at Guaracara Park.

For the CCC, they now have to recover from two straight losses following a 51-run defeat to Jamaica on home soil, after they rode high on a 96-run triumph over Guyana at the same venue in their second match. They had a bye in the first round.

The result has carried the Windwards to 24 points and the outcomes of the other matches will decide exactly how high they have been elevated in the seven-team competition.

Man of the Match

Andre Fletcher, a player who has endured a battle of his own with the Windward Islands' selectors prior to the season, again led the way with 42 not out, that made him a shoo-in for the Man-of-the-Match award.

He added 47 - unbroken - for the fourth wicket, with compatriot Lewis, to take the visitors over the threshold, after they had stumbled early in the chase.

Miles Bascombe was adjudged lbw to Kavesh Kantasingh for one and Johnson Charles was also lbw to Ryan Austin for four to leave them on six for two. But left-hander Kevin James joined Fletcher and put the Windwards on track in a stand of 38 for the third wicket, in just under an hour, before he was caught close to the wicket off Kantasingh for 13, to leave Fletcher and Lewis to carry the Windwards the rest of the way.