By Calvin Roberts
at Cable and Wireless/BET groundWildey, St Michael, Barbados
Compliments of: Ansa Mc Al, Cummings Electrical, Lifetime Realty, P&P Insurance, Cellular Plus and Hanes (Guyana) Limited
A maiden ton by Kraigg Braithwaite (112) gave Barbados the upper hand at the end of the second day in their third round match of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB)/TCL-sponsored 2008 Under-19 match against defending champions Guyana at the Cable and Wireless/BET ground yesterday.
Resuming on 96-2 with Braithwaite on 34 and Roston Chase 21, Barbados declared on 300-8 after batting for 109 overs leaving the defending champions with exactly one hour remaining in the day’s play and, at the close, Guyana were 35-2 with Jeetendra Sookdeo and Herman Latcha yet to score.
The hosts quickly lost Chase who was caught by substitute Royston Alkins off the bowling of Latcha in the first over of the day without any addition to his and the team’s overnight score.
But Maradon Benn joined Braithwaite and quickly got into stride opening his account with a straight drive for four off Latcha.
The 15-year-old Braithwaite, whose previous best at this level was 34 against Trinidad and Tobago in the last round, got to his maiden 50 when he steered a short ball from Jonathan Foo to a short third man for a single.
Barbados lost Benn at 161-4 when he attempted to drive at delivery from Foo which turned and was caught at the wicket by Anthony Bramble for a well played 38. He faced 82 balls and struck four fours and one six during his 88-minute knock and added 65 runs with Braithwaite for the fifth wicket. Braithwaite continued to pick the gaps for the singles off the spinners during his partnership with new batsman Dario Cummins and, at lunch, Barbados were 183-4 with Braithwaite on 74 and Cummins nine.
It was all Braithwaite after lunch as the batting dynamo got to his first century at this level(and his 31st overall) by turning a short delivery from Latcha in the 86th over to short backward square leg after facing 260 balls and striking four fours in 299 minutes of batting. Braithwaite, who attends Combermere Secondary School and represented the West Indies in the just concluded CLICO Under-15 international tournament where he was voted the Most Valuable Player for his run scoring feats, was eventually caught by Joseph off Latcha as he attempted to hit the bowler over mid off ending his chanceless innings.
He faced 279 balls and struck four fours whilst batting for 331 minutes. At tea Barbados were 267-6 with Ramon Reifer on 14 and Jason Holder 06 and the defending champions, who had five dubious umpiring decisions going against them from one end during the day’s play, struck a double blow after tea with the wickets of Holder who was caught at mid off by Foo off Latcha for nine and Dario Vaughn who was run out for one.
The left-handed Jeremy Marshall, who was the beneficiary of one of those decisions after being stumped by Bramble when on one, went on to drive Joseph through midwicket for three following a misfield by Bishun as the host went in search of quick runs leading up to the declaration which came at 3.51pm with Reifer (35) and Marshall (9) the not out batsmen. Latcha with 4-76 was the pick of the bowlers. Openers Fredericks and Griffith saw the Guyana innings off to a resounding start with the former hitting Marshall exquisitely through the mid off area for four and followed it up by hitting the next delivery which was a no ball through extra cover for three. When Randall Hoyte, who opened the bowling with Marshall over pitched one on the off stump of skipper Fredericks, he was dispatched with disdain through point for four. Griffith then got into the act by effortlessly on driving a no ball from Marshall all along the ground for four to open his account.
Barbados skipper then introduced off spinner Chase after five overs from the Northern End whilst still persisting with the lively Hoyte from the Southern End. Griffith was the first to go. After steering a delivery down to third man for two, he attempted to repeat the shot and succeeded in getting an outside edge through to wicketkeeper Corbin who accepted the chance. Fredericks was next to go as Braithwaite took a sharp reflex catch at forward short leg off Chase. The in-form Sookdeo who is struggling with a slight side strain was at the wicket battling it out for his team in partnership with Latcha who is performing the duties of night watchman. At the close of play Guyana, needing a further 266 more runs for first innings points in a game which will certainly peter out into a draw were 35-2. Chase has so far taken 1-2 and Holder 1-4. Today is the final day and play will resume at 1000hrs weather permitting.