Shillingford finished the day with four wickets for 72 runs from 32 overs, as Barbados, choosing to bat, were restricted to 255 for seven in their first innings at the close on the opening day of their day/night fourth round match at Kensington Oval. Shillingford swung the match Windwards’ way, after three Barbados batsmen gathered half-centuries – Kirk Edwards hit the top score of 55, Jason Haynes made 51, and Dale Richards got 50. Windwards were on the back-foot, as Edwards and Shamarh Brooks added 66 for the fifth wicket to carry Barbados to 249 for six.
But Peters made the breakthrough, when he held a return catch to dismiss Edwards, whose painstaking 190-ball innings, spread over four hours, included just two boundaries.
Shillingford turned the screws on the Barbadians, when he had Brooks caught at leg-gully for 30, and Patrick Browne caught at forward short leg for one to send as the home team lost three wickets for one in the space of 17 balls.
Windwards had felt the pressure early on, after they were stuck-in to field, when Haynes and Richards comfortably shared 95 for the first wicket.
Rawl Lewis separated them about 25 minutes before lunch, after Richards had turned Kenroy Peters into square leg for a single to reach his 50 from 64 balls.
Lewis had him caught at slip though, when the Barbados opener playing defensively forward edged a sharply turning leg-break.
Barbados were 105 for one at lunch, but Windwards soon had success, when Shillingford held a return catch to dismiss Haynes about 10 minutes after the interval to leave the home team on 108 for two. Windwards endured another lean period, as Ryan Hinds joined Edwards and consolidated for the Barbadians with a stand of 55 for the third wicket. Shillingford and Lewis were in full flight, and the runs dried up for the Barbadians, and trying to release the pressure they conceded two vital scalps in the last half-hour before tea.
Shillingford had Hinds dubiously caught at leg-gully for 40 from a top-edged sweep, and Lewis trapped Stoute lbw for 14 with a well-pitched flipper, as Barbados slid to 183 for four at tea.
After the break, Windwards again met resistance from Edwards and Brooks, and just when it appeared they were about to take control, Barbados had the rug dragged from under them.
Barbados made two changes to their line-up with Brooks and fast-medium bowler Corey Edwards coming in to replace Australia-bound West Indies duo Dwayne Smith and Kemar Roach.
Windwards have also made two changes, bringing off-spin all-rounder Liam Sebastien and left-arm medium-fast bowler Deighton Butler in to replace Darren Sammy, who has also departed for Australia with West Indies, and Keddy Lesporis.
Barbados hold down second place on 21 points, and Windwards are third on 12 points with a match in hand.
SCOREBOARD
BARBADOS 1st Innings
D. Richards c *Smith b Lewis 50
J. Haynes c and b Shillingford 51
K. Edwards c and b Peters 55
*R. Hinds c *Smith b Shillingford 40
K. Stoute lbw b Lewis 14
S. Brooks c Sebastien b Shillingford 30
+P. Browne c Hector b Shillingford 1
N. Charles not out 0
T. Best not out 5
Extras (lb3, nb6) 9
TOTAL (7 wkts, 95 overs) 255
C. Edwards, P. Collins to bat
Fall of wickets: 1-95, 2-108, 3-163, 4-183, 5-249, 6-249, 7-250
Bowling: Butler 13-0-37-0; Pascal 12-2-52-0; Peters 16-3-35-1; Shillingford 32-7-72-4; Lewis 22-3-56-2 (nb6)
WINDWARD ISLANDS: *D. Smith, T. Theophille, A. Fletcher, D. Hector, L. Sebastien, R. Lewis, +L. James, S. Shillingford, D. Butler, K. Peters, N. Pascal
Toss: Barbados
Umpires: C. Duncan, D. Somwaru
