GROS ISLET, St Lucia, CMC – Captain Kraigg Brathwaite stroked his 11th first class century and fifth in regional cricket to give Barbados momentum but three wickets late in the final session, helped leaders Guyana Jaguars fight back on the opening day of their WICB PCL seventh round contest here yesterday.
The right-handed Brathwaite scored 102, an innings which helped his side up to 258 for five at the close at Kensington Oval, after the hosts were asked to bat first.
Overall, Brathwaite faced 241 balls, in five hours at the crease, and striking 12 fours.
Rookie Shai Hope extended his good form with 69 while opener Kyle Corbin struck 46 at the top of the order.
Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo led the Jaguars attack with four for 66.
Brathwaite and Corbin gave Barbados a healthy start, by adding a positive 69 for the first wicket, in decent conditions at the historic venue.
The right-handed Corbin faced 75 balls in 81 minutes at the crease and struck eight fours before becoming the first wicket to fall, bowled by left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul after missing a low full toss.
At lunch, Barbados were 99 for one, with Brathwaite on 33 and Kirk Edwards on 19.
However, Guyana struck in the second over after resumption, with Edwards removed by a sharp catch at slip by captain Leon Johnson off Bishoo.
Barbados then consolidated through Brathwaite and Hope who put on 140 for the third wicket, as the hosts dominated the second session to be 183 for two at tea.
Brathwaite, unbeaten on 76, raised his hundred late in the day while Hope, not out on 36 the break, marked his second successive half-century in the final session.
Overall, Hope faced 170 deliveries and counted seven fours, in three-and-a-quarter hours.
However, they both fell within 11 deliveries of each other, Brathwaite pulling Bishoo to Ronsford Beaton at mid-wicket and Hope holing out to Shiv Chanderpaul at long-off off Bishoo.
Guyana added another wicket to their tally when Bishoo had the in-form Shane Dowrich caught behind for seven.
Scoreboard
BARBADOS 1st Innings
K Brathwaite c Beaton b Bishoo 102
K Corbin b Permaul 46
K Edwards c Johnsonb Bishoo 19
S Hope c S Chanderpaul b Bishoo 69
R Chase not out 8
+S Dowrich c wkp Bramble b Bishoo 7
J Warrican not out 0
Extras (w3, nb4) 7
TOTAL (5 wkts, 104 overs) 258
Fall of wickets: 1-69, 2-100, 3-240, 4-243, 5-252.
To bat: A Nurse, C Brathwaite, M Cummins, T Best.
Bowling: Beaton 13-3-30-0, Reifer 11-2-48-0, Barnwell 6-0-29-0, Permaul 30-8-50-1, Deonarine 16-6-35-0, Bishoo 28-9-66-4.
GUYANA JAGUARS – Leon Johnson (captain), Rajindra Chandrika, Shiv Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Raymon Reifer, Anthony Bramble, Chris Barnwell, Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo, Ronsford Beaton, Vishaul Singh.
Toss: Guyana.
Umpires: Gregory Brathwaite, Steve O’Shaughnessy.
