POINTE-A-PIERRE, Trinidad, CMC – Kraigg Brathwaite stroked his second first-class hundred to help Barbados earn a draw, after they conceded first innings points to Trinidad & Tobago in the WICB Regional first-class championship yesterday.
The 18-year-old batting prospect was undefeated on 102, when rain brought an early close to the match an hour ahead of schedule, with the Barbadians 234 for three in their second innings of the first round contest at Guaracara Park.
Brathwaite struck eight fours from 278 balls in just over 4 ½ hours in his first hundred for Barbados in the regional championship.
This followed a monumental, unbeaten 97 from all-rounder Rayad Emrit, which helped T&T gain a first innings lead, when they were dismissed for 412 about 25 minutes after the start, replying to Barbados’s first innings total of 395.
The pitch continued to hold no devils, and Brathwaite and fellow opener Dale Richards batted comfortably, when Barbados started the second innings. Richards was however, lbw to Jaggernauth for 24, as the visitors reached 88 for one at the lunch interval. After lunch, Brathwaite and Kirk Edwards continued to score freely. They added 88 for the second wicket to shorten the odds of any Barbadians batting collapse, and a sensational finish to the match.Edwards looked the part and played some excellent shots in his 42 before he gave a return catch to off-spinner Jaggernauth, whose two wickets cost 74 runs from 32 overs.
Barbados continued to bat merrily, and reached 193 for three at tea, after their captain Ryan Hinds was caught at mid-wicket off Imran Khan for 29 in a stand of 56 for the third wicket. After the break, Brathwaite and Kyle Hope continued to plod away, and the teenager was fortunate that he reached his milestone just before the weather changed.
T&T collected six points from the match, and will face first-round winners Combined Campuses & Colleges in their second match at the UWI Sports & Physical Education Complex.
Barbados gained just three points, and meet England Lions on home soil at Kensington Oval in the next round.
