ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Both Barbados Pride and Trinidad and Tobago Red Force ended the opening day of the third round of matches in the West Indies Championship on Sunday in dominant positions.
For the third straight match, the Pride’s batters bettered the Jamaica Scorpion’s bowlers on their way to finishing the day on 320 for five.
Meanwhile, the Red Force were similarly impressive, with their batsmen propeling them to 260 for three in their rain-shortened contest against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes.
Elsewhere, defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles shared opening day honours with the Windward Islands Volcanoes.
At the Antigua Recreation Ground in Antigua: Unbeaten half centuries by captain Joshua Da Silva and Amir Jangoo ensured that the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force claimed bragging rights after day one against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes.
Da Silva finished on 72 not out, while Jangoo was 69 not out, helping to carry the visitors to 247 for three.
The start of the match was delayed by over and hour due to rain, but when play finally got underway T&T suffered an immediate setback when opener Evin Lewis picked up an injury and was forced to retired hurt.
Oshane Thomas then piled on the pressure by dismissing Cephas Cooper for six with 27 runs on the board.
Jyd Goolie, who made 36 and Jason Mohammed, who scored a brisk 47, added 61 runs for the second wicket before medium pacer Cameron Pennyfeather had Goolie caught.
The Red Force then found themselves 115 for three after Thomas returned to snare the wicket of Mohammed three runs short of a well-deserved half century.
However, from thereon the visitors took control of the contest with Da Silva and Jangoo sharing an unbroken partnership of 132 for the fourth wicket.
Da Silva has so far faced 125 deliveries and struck eight fours in his two hour and 20-minute stay at the crease, while Jangoo’s three hour stay included 137 balls and also contained eight fours.
Thomas has taken 2-44 for the Hurricanes.
<Ppride close day 1 on 346-5>
At Sabina Park in Jamaica: Needing a win to have any chance of advancing to the knockout round of the competition, Barbados Pride made an encouraging start in their do or die contest against the Jamaica Scorpions.
The Pride was yet again bolstered by its batting unit, with three batters scoring half centuries which saw them accumulate a healthy 346 for five after day one.
Roston Chase finished the day unbeaten on 82 for Barbados Pride.
Their dependable opening pair featuring captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Shayne Moseley gave them a solid start in putting on 55 runs.
Their stand was eventually broken when Moseley was run out by Marquino Mindley for 23.
It brought Jonathan Drakes to the crease and together with his skipper they batted the visitors into a comfortable position during a partnership of 145 runs.
Odean Smith finally got the breakthrough for the Scorpions by prising out Brathwaite after he had scored 74 from 164 balls and hit seven fours,
And seven runs later they struck again, when Drakes, who had progressed nicely to 94 and looked set to complete his fourth first class century, was stumped off the bowling of offspinner Brad Barnes to leave the score 207 for three. In all, he faced 148 balls and hit 12 fours and one six.
The in-form Kevin Wickham, scorer of three consecutive centuries to start the tournament, was caught and bowled by Barnes for just five and Khari Campbell trapped Kyle Mayers lbw for one, as the Scorpions fought back at 254 for five.
However, there was no further success for the home side for the remainder of the day, with West Indies Test captain Roston Chase and Leniko Boucher sharing an unbroken partnership of 92 runs.
Chase has so far scored a run-a-ball 82 with 12 fours and one six, while Boucher is 40 not out off just 46 balls.
Barnes has been the Red Force’s best bowler so far with 2-56.
Summarised Scores
At the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua: Windward Islands Volcanoes trail Guyana Harpy Eagles by 220 runs with nine wickets remaining.
HARPY EAGLES 242 in 79.5 overs (Tagenarine Chanderpaul 69, Keemo Paul 64, Kemol Savory 35, Gudakesh Motie 24, Shamar Joseph 15; Ryan John 4-28, Darel Cyrus 3-79, Gilon Tyson 2-40).
VOLCANOES 22-1 in eight overs (Stephan Pascal 13 not out).
At the Antigua Recreation Ground in Antigua: Trinidad and Tobago Red Force lead Leeward Islands Hurricanes by 247 runs with seven wickets remaining.
RED FORCE 247-3 in 64 overs (Joshua Da Silva 72 not out, Amir Jangoo 69 not out, Jason Mohammed 47, Jyd Goolie 36; Oshane Thomas 2-44).
At Sabina Park in Jamaica: Barbados Pride lead Jamaica Scorpions by 346 runs with five wickets remaining.
PRIDE 346-5 in 87 overs (Jonathan Drakes 94, Roston Chase 82 not out, Kraigg Brathwaite 74, Leniko Boucher 40 not out, Shayne Moseley 23; Brad Barnes 2-56).
(CMC)
