BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Off-spinner Sunil Narine’s four-wicket haul restricted Barbados and gave Trinidad and Tobago the advantage on the second day of their Regional Four-Day match here yesterday.
The wily 26-year-old finished with four for 69, a spell that left Barbados on 254 for seven at the close, in response to Trinidad and Tobago’s 338 all out at Kensington Oval.
Earlier, captain Denesh Ramdin got 88 and Reyad Emrit hit 62 as T&T, resuming the day on 293 for six, lost their last four wickets for the addition of just 45 runs.
West Indies fast bowler Fidel Edwards finished with five for 64.
Barbados suffered an early setback, however, when left-hander Omar Phillips fell in the second over of the innings, caught at second slip by Jason Mohammed off seamer Atiba Allert.
Captain Kirk Edwards, who top scored with 70, then added 76 for the second wicket with fellow Test teammate Kraigg Brathwaite (27), to rebuild the innings.
The partnership was blossoming when the right-handed Brathwaite, dropped on four by Imran Khan at gully off fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, edged a cut behind to substitute wicketkeeper Darren Bravo off Emrit’s medium pace.
Former captain Ryan Hinds joined Edwards to share in another half-century stand, this time putting on 52 for the next wicket.
Edwards, who stroked 10 fours off 101 balls in 164 minutes at the crease, looked set for three figures before he fell to Narine to a catch close in, on the stroke of tea.
Hinds, who was forced to retire hurt on 33 after being struck on the elbow by Gabriel at 141 for three, returned to make 46 and was the last wicket to fall before the close.
Narine trapped Surrey professional Chris Jordan lbw for 12 at 169 for four but Jonathan Carter (37) and Sulieman Benn (13) held things together with a plucky 55-run partnership.
Once again, Narine proved the champion for Trinidad as he claimed Carter to a catch at silly point to break the worrying stand.
Benn gifted his wicket to Gabriel with just four runs added at 228 for six and Hinds’ return to the crease saw him strike a few lusty blows before becoming Narine’s fourth wicket.
T&T had earlier failed to capitalize on their overnight position with Ramdin adding just eight to his overnight score before slashing Test pacer Kemar Roach to Benn at slip in the third over of the day.
He faced 201 balls in 274 minutes at the crease, striking six fours and a six.
Emrit was forced to take matters into his own hands, cracking six fours and a six in a cameo knock that required just 84 balls.
