Enterprising partnerships along with half centuries from Anthony Alleyne and Shane Paris firmly placed Barbados in the driver’s seat over the Windward Islands going into the final day today of their first round WICB three-day tournament at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground.
Unlike the first day that was characterised by a seesaw battle for control between the teams, there was no such occurrence at the sun-drenched DCC pitch that offered variable bounce. The Barbadian youths batted diligently and formalised their push for an outright victory with at least 90 overs of play today. Barbados closed day two on 293-8 from 94 overs after they had wrapped up Windwards, six overs into the morning session for 148 from 53.3 overs, 13 runs behind their opponents’ first innings score of 161. Barbados now have an overall lead of 306, which started when Justin Greaves dismissed Dwight Thomas, who resumed on his overnight score of 69, for 77.
Greaves ended with 7-40 narrowly missing out on a hat-trick. Thereafter, there was a resilient 60 from Paris, who featured in a 48-run opening stand with his captain and Test player Kraigg Brathwaite (16). This alliance set the foundation for the rest of the innings.
Paris stroked eight fours and two sixes from 97 balls in 113 minutes.
Barbados lost another wicket at 55, Shai Hope (4), but Paris and Alleyne, ensured that there would not be a repeat of the batting collapse of the first innings.
Paris, being the set batsman, was expectedly the more fluent of the two but Alleyne soon found his groove and added his touch to the proceedings with two boundaries.
However, when the partnership was in full cry Paris was caught behind by Hollis Blair off the bowling of offspinner Jamaal James, breaking a 50-run partnership. The trend of progressive partnerships continued and Alleyne made the bowlers, especially the spinners, pay. He hit left arm spinner Larry Edward, who claimed five in the first innings, for both of his sixes. Apart from that frustration stepped in for the Windwards when the right arm pacer Shaquille Brown was removed from the bowling attack for bowling a beamer to Alleyne. Eventually, a tired Alleyne was run out for 79 off a direct hit, attempting a second run from a paddle sweep to the backward square region. Neil Browne, Mario Rampersaud and Greaves were the next best scorers with 36, 34 not out and 27 respectively.
Left arm spinner Kavem Hodge gathered 3-78 while Edward picked up 2-75.
