KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Barbados’ hopes of repeating as champions suffered a huge blow yesterday when rain prematurely ended the second day’s play of their TCL Group West Indies Three-day Cup Under-19 match against Guyana at Jamalco.
A sudden downpour at 4:00 pm local time – with 17 overs remaining – terminated play with Guyana struggling on 95 for four in their second innings, just 49 runs ahead with six second-innings wickets in hand.
Earlier, Barbados resumed on 83 for five with Raymond Reifer on 14 and Kyle Mayers on six. They took the score to 111 before Mayers was caught at slip by Trevon Griffin off left-arm spinner Anthony Adams for 18.
The in-form wicket-keeper Shane Dowrich joined Reifer and the two took the score to 155 for six at lunch with Reifer on 49 and Dowrich on 25. The two batsmen seemed settled against the varied Guyana attack and continued to play well after lunch until Dowrich was caught by Alex Amsterdam off the bowling slow bowler Jonathon Foo for a well played 47.
His 76-ball innings lasted 107 minutes and contained two fours.
Reifer reached his fifty with one four in 176 minutes off 149 balls.
In the interim, he lost Jomel Warrican, bowled by Griffith without scoring and Reifer quickly followed when he was adjudged run-out for a well played 57.
The Barbados innings quickly folded after for 215, with Amsterdam finishing with for four 42 off 32 overs, 15 of which were maidens.
He was well supported by Griffith, who got three for 22 off 10 overs.
Guyana started their second innings badly, losing captain Anthony Bramble for one with the score on 24 caught behind off pacer Jeremy Marshall, Left-arm spinner Warrican then accounted for Royston Alkins (9) and captain Jason Holder dislodged for Jeetendra Sookdeo (10) as the score dipped to 74 for three.
All along, the attacking left-handed Griffith was playing well, reaching his fifty in just 76 minutes off 49 balls with six fours and one six.
However Holder, who bowled with good pace, delivered a short one that Griffith sparred at and was caught by wicket-keeper Dowrich for 53, made in 96 minutes and 65 balls.
When the rains came, Foo was 10 and Amsterdam not out on one.
Holder has so far taken two for 26.
Having entered the fourth round on 19 points and within striking distance of the lead, Barbados will be hoping for good weather on today’s last day in order to force an outright victory to keep them in the hunt for the title.