CHARLESTOWN, Nevis, Mar 27, CMC – The young Barbadian Omar Phillips smashed a maiden first-class hundred and piloted Combined Campuses & Colleges (CCC) to a solid position against the Leeward Islands on yesterday’s opening day of their 12th round WICB Regional Four-day match.
Choosing to bat against the high-riding home-side, CCC finished the day at Grove Park on a sturdy 283 for three with left-hander Phillips unbeaten on 163.
In-form captain Floyd Reifer was not out on 14 with Phillips, who was commanding throughout the day and had a near 200-run opening partnership with teenager Kyle Corbin.
Undefeated in their last three matches after losing four of their previous five, CCC got a rousing start from their openers and marched to 100 without loss off 29 overs by lunch.
The 22-year-old Phillips reached his second first-class fifty off 90 balls in 115 minutes with six fours and a couple of sixes off leg-spinner Anthony Martin.
Phillips was 52 at lunch and Corbin was on 45 at the break.
They barely missed also playing out the entire post-lunch session together as medium pacer Wilden Cornwall (1-49) eventually removed the 18-year-old Corbin for 67 moments before the tea break.
Phillips, who had a second innings 64 in the CCC’s upset win over the Windwards in the 10th round, rushed to his first hundred at this level off just 136 balls in 168 minutes with 14 fours and four sixes.
Corbin was caught at long off by Gavin Tonge. He struck six fours and one six in a 137-ball knock that lasted 225 minutes and he departed after a robust 185-run opening stand with Phillips.
From a tea-time score of 188 for one, CCC slipped to 202 for nine when Tonge (1-49) dislodged Nekoli Parris for six.
The Leewards’ bowling attack was hamstrung in the afternoon by Tonge’s absence, the big Antiguan pacer forced off the field during his 17th over with a leg injury.
Scoring freely with a volley of cuts and drives, mostly through the off-side, Phillips flogged the Leewards’ bowlers and finished the day with 19 fours and four sixes.
He has so far batted for 380 minutes and faced 302 balls.
The Leewards had one more success before the close when Jamal Smith was run out for 21, beaten by a direct hit from Montcin Hodge.
