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• Harpy Eagles poised to retain title after eight-wicket win over CCC; other games to be decided on final day

  Reigning champions Guyana Harpy Eagles strengthened their position to retain the West Indies Championship title, as they downed Combined Campuses & Colleges Marooners by eight wickets in their final round encounter at Frank Worrell Field, in Trinidad and Tobago, on Friday.

  Set 180 for victory, Harpy Eagles, through half-centuries from Raymond Perez (79 not out) and captain Tevin Imlach (50), as well as 42 from Tagenarine Chanderpaul, got across the line with minimum fuss, to successfully wrap up what started out as a slow campaign.

  Scores: Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners 200 (Demario Richards 43, Romario Greaves 36, Avinash Mahabirsingh 23, Amari Goodridge 22, Jediah Blades 22 not out, Jarion Hoyte 21; Nial Smith 3-45, Veerasammy Permaul 3-51, Gudakesh Motie 2-40, Isai Thorne 2-45) and 203 (Shamarh Brooks 59, Odaine McCatty 56, Jario Hoyte 22; Kevin Sinclair 2-29, Niall Smith 2-35, Gudakesh Motie 2-42, Veerasammy Permaul 2-44).

  Guyana Harpy Eagles 223 all out (Raymond Perez 62, Tevin Imlach 55, Kevin Sinclair 37, Kevlon Anderson 27; Avinash Mahabirsingh 17.4-2-51-8) and 182 for two (Raymond Perez 79 not out, Tevin Imlach 50, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 42).

  Resuming on 165-7, the Marooners only added 38 runs to their overnight total, with captain Shamarh Brooks (59), adding only five to his 54 from overnight, before being removed by Niall Smith. Jarion Hoyte (22) and Jediah Blades (11) offered little resistance before the innings inevitably ended.

  Kevin Sinclair (2-29), Smith (2-35), Gudakesh Motie (2-42), and Veerasammy Permaul (2-44), shared the wickets.

  With the bowlers’ job done, the batsmen responded with much gusto, as Chanderpaul and Perez laid the foundation for the chase with a solid opening stand. Chanderpaul had three fours and a solitary six in his 62-ball knock, before his departure brought Imlach to the middle.

  The captain, along with Perez took the Marooners bowlers to task in another tidy partnership that ensured they ended the campaign on a high. Imlach’s 51-ball 50 included six fours and a lone six, while Perez’s unbeaten 79 off 92 balls had five fours and two sixes.

  With their job done, Harpy Eagles, who started the round in third position on 87.2 points, will have to await the outcome of the other contests involving leaders Windward Islands Volcanoes and second-placed Barbados Pride.

  The 12 match points before bonus has pushed Harpy Eagles up to 99.2 points, and ahead of Windward Islands Volcanoes (90 points), who require a daunting 304 runs to top Leeward Islands Hurricanes, while Barbados Pride (87.6 points), lead CWI Academy by 21 runs, heading into Saturday’s final day.

  

  Elsewhere, At the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, Barbados Pride, with five second innings wickets intact, will seek to build on their lead and possibly bowl down CWI Academy to stand at chance of claiming top spot.

  Scores: Barbados Pride 155 (Jonathan Drakes 35, Kevin Wickham 27, Shian Brathwaite 26, Demetrius Richards 21 not out; Johann Layne 3-23, McKenny Clarke 3-26, Joshua Bishop 2-25, Ramon Simmonds 2-43) and 228-5 (Kraigg Brathwaite 90, Raymon Reifer 43 not out, Kevin Wickham 35, Shian Brathwaite 21; Joshua Bishop 3-43).

  CWI Academy 243 (Ackeem Auguste 76, Carlon Tuckett-Bowen 49, Johan Layne 38, McKenny Clarke 30; Akeem Jordan 4-76, Raymon Reifer 2-32, Jair McAllister 2-40, Shaquille Cumberbatch 2-75).

  At Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago, Windward Islands Volcanoes has nine second innings wickets in hand to try and get the remaining 304 runs to deny Leeward Islands Hurricanes (84.6 points) a fifth win of the campaign.

  Scores: Leeward Islands Hurricanes 300 (Mikyle Louis 100, Jewel Andrew 68, Jeremiah Louis 43, Jahmar Hamilton 34; Ryan John 3-67, Gilon Tyson 2-33, Daren Cyrus 2-70) and 294 (Keacy Carty 65, Mikyle Louis 33, Kieran Powell 31, Justin Greaves 27, Jewel Andrew 26, Jahmar Hamilton 23, Oshane Thomas 21, Colin Archibald 20; Kavem Hodge 3-60, Gilon Tyson 3-91, Shamar Springer 2-32, Darel Cyrus 2-84).

  Windward Islands Volcanoes 179 (Johann Jeremiah 41, Shamar Springer 33, Kavem Hodge 29, Stephan Pascal 25; Daniel Doram 16-5-34-6, Hayden Walsh Jr 3-21) and 112-1(Stephan Pascal 60 not out, Johann Jeremiah 23 not out).

  Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, who started the round in fourth position on 72.8 points, wrapped up a convincing innings and 125-run win over Jamaica Scorpions, but are unlikely to upstage any of the top three in the race for the title.

• Des Buckingham feels heavy schedule caught up with Oxford

  Oxford boss Des Buckingham felt the heavy schedule of three games in six days took its toll on his team as they were held 1-1 by Stevenage at the Kassam Stadium.

  It means it is effectively no longer in Oxford’s hands to reach the League One play-offs because Lincoln are three points behind them with a game in hand and a superior goal difference.

  Buckingham felt the decision not to award the U’s a penalty when Marcus Browne appeared to have been fouled by keeper Craig MacGillivray in the first half was crucial.

  They had to come from behind as Stevenage went in front through a Sam Long own goal in the 32nd minute, Cameron Brannagan replying from the penalty spot on 58 minutes when Carl Piergianni fouled Ruben Rodrigues – though that appeared to have been outside the box.

  Buckingham said: “To play three games in six days is a big ask.

  “We had 26 shots but couldn’t get that second goal we needed.

  “There was a clear penalty not given in the first half, and for us that’s the second game in a row that one hasn’t been given when it should have been. It was a huge moment in the game, and very frustrating.

  “The referee told me he couldn’t see it, but the linesman was only 15 yards away and had a clear view.

  “I’m delighted with the performance but ultimately we’ve got just the four points from these three home games, now we need to make sure we prepare right and get three in the last one at Exeter.

  “When we looked to rearrange the Lincoln game we chose this week because it was a free week, then Sky told us they wanted to bring this Stevenage one forward and show it on the Friday night which meant three games in six days.

  “There was nothing we could do about it, but had we known they were going to do that, we would have played the Lincoln game another week.

  “It’s going to be a tight finish – I wouldn’t rule out Blackpool either, and they’ve got to play Barnsley.”

  Stevenage had lost manager Steve Evans in the week, with Evans heading north to become Rotherham boss.

  Caretaker boss Alex Revell said: “Steve always had two clubs very much in his heart – this one and Rotherham. Believe me, making the decision was probably the hardest thing he’s had to do, he said.

  “I wanted to take today and make the players ready. I really enjoyed it because they gave everything.

  “I’m very proud of what the lads did tonight.

  “We had a great day yesterday in terms of training and getting ready and trying to get a few bits into them.

  “They came to a really tough place and worked so hard for each other.

  “In spells we created some half-chances, probably not enough, but it was about showing our togetherness as a club and our spirit.

  “I think we showed why we have caused teams problems this season, especially with our energy and our workrate.

  “The first penalty shout against us was a penalty and should have been given so we got away with that.

  “But it doesn’t mean that something that started outside the box should be a penalty. Two wrongs don’t make a right.”

• Mauricio Pochettino not expecting a vulnerable Man City in FA Cup semi-final

  Mauricio Pochettino warned his Chelsea players not to expect to come up against a vulnerable Manchester City side when the teams meet in Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final.

  City go into the game off the back of playing extra time against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday night before eventually being knocked out on penalties, leaving less than 72 hours recovery time ahead of stepping out at Wembley.

  Pep Guardiola has had to deal with fatigue amongst his ranks in recent weeks, with midfielder Rodri admitting to needing a rest earlier this month. He was subsequently left out of the team for last weekend’s win over Luton at the Etihad Stadium but returned to the starting XI for the defeat to Real.

  They are still in contention to retain two of the three trophies they won last season, holding a two-point lead over Arsenal and Liverpool in the Premier League title race in addition to Saturday’s meeting with Pochettino’s side as they seek a third FA Cup triumph in six seasons.

  Chelsea will return to the scene of their Carabao Cup final loss to Liverpool in February, after which they were heavily criticised for failing to overcome a Reds team decimated by injury.

  Jurgen Klopp’s side triumphed in extra time despite finishing the game with four highly inexperienced academy graduates aged 21 or under on the pitch.

  And Pochettino insisted there will be no easy ride for his players as City lick their European wounds.

  “The good example is Liverpool,” he said. “People were talking about too many injured players, how many young kids they had playing. Look what happened after.

  “From our point of view, we are going to compete against Manchester City. If you ask me about their situation, I can give my opinion, but we are not talking about that. We are going to compete against them.

  “Today we were preparing, doing meetings, about the Manchester City that played against Real Madrid, that played against us in the Premier League.

  “We are not talking about playing one (City line-up) or playing another. For me, the strength of Manchester City is that they keep the same idea and the same philosophy.

  “In the last five, six, seven years, even with different players, they play in the same way, they have the structure to dominate and to create chances and to win games and to win trophies.

  “I understand the situation is tough for them after playing 120 minutes in the Champions League. Emotionally, you expend a big energy. It’s about how they recover now.

  “They are going be competitive and they have an amazing staff that look after the players. They’re going to put 11 players that will play with full energy to try and win the game.”

  Pochettino will have Enzo Fernandez available for selection after he missed Monday’s 6-0 demolition of Everton.

  The manager said the World Cup winner’s fitness will be carefully managed following reports this week in Argentina that he requires a hernia operation.

  “We are not looking for heroes,” said Pochettino.