BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Barbados were made to endure a long, hard toil, when the England Lions, led by James Taylor and James Hildreth, batted resolutely in their WICB Regional first-class match yesterday.
The Barbadian bowling lacked penetration, and Taylor with half-dozen boundaries in an unbeaten 97 from 239 balls in close to 6 1/2 hours batting, and Hildreth with 81 helped the Lions to 349 for four, replying to Barbados’ first innings total of 471 at the close on the third day of their second round match at Kensington Oval.
Pedro Collins was the pick of the Barbadian bowlers with three wickets for 65 runs from 25 overs, but Andrew Lyth scored 58, Craig Kieswetter was not out on 47, and Andrew Gale made 37 to help put the Lions in a good place to challenge for first innings points on Monday’s final day.
Barbados had early success, when they removed Gale and Lyth in the first hour to leave the visitors on 116 for three.
Collins bowled Gale in the fourth over of the day, following the batsman’s second wicket stand of 86 with Lyth.
West Indies fast bowler Fidel Edwards, Collins’ younger brother, who is returning to top-level cricket, following a career-threatening back injury, struck five overs later, when Lyth was caught at second slip.
But the Barbadians were put on ice, when Hildreth, the Lions’ captain, joined Taylor, and they defied the home team with a stand of 156 for the fourth wicket.
Barbados failed to create any chances, as the pair batted doggedly to carry the Lions to 183 for three at lunch.
Scoreboard
BARBADOS 1st Innings 471
ENGLAND LIONS 1st Innings
(overnight 101 for one)
A. Lyth c Richards b F. Edwards 58
J. Adams c *Hinds b Collins 10
A. Gale b Collins 37
*J. Hildreth c Holder b Collins 81
J. Taylor not out 97
+C. Kieswetter not out 47
Extras (b1, lb2, w4, nb12) 19
TOTAL (4 wkts, 115 overs) 349
L. Plunkett, J. Harris, D. Briggs, J. Dernbach, M. Chambers to bat
Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-107, 3-116, 4-272
Bowling: Collins 25-4-65-3 (nb1, w1); F. Edwards 20-1-72-1 (nb10, w1); Holder 19-2-67-0; Stoute 26-3-71-0 (w2); Brooks 10-1-41-0; Hinds 15-6-30-0 (nb1)
Position: England Lions trail by 122 runs with six first innings wickets standing
Umpires: G. Brathwaite, G. Greaves
Matchreferee: M. Jones
Reserve umpire: R. Brathwaite
