ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – Shai Hope and Roston Chase dodged the showers to bring stability to Barbados Pride after they ran into early trouble against Windward Islands Volcanoes in the WICB Regional four-day tournament here yesterday.
Hope was not out on 34 and Chase was not out on 28, as the Pride reached 101 for three in their first innings at the close on the rain-hit first day of their fifth round match, after they were sent in to bat on a hard, true Windsor Park pitch.
The pair of West Indies batsman shared 56 – unbroken – for the fourth wicket, after the Pride stumbled to 45 for three about an hour after the start which was delayed by 3 ¼ hours, due to the weather, which also brought the close about an hour earlier than scheduled.
After the delayed start, the Pride suffered an early setback, when Mervin Matthew bowled Anthony Alleyne, the most prolific batsman this season, for his second duck in as many innings in the third over.
Omar Phillips got the scoreboard moving with Hope with little trouble before he pulled a short delivery from Kenroy Peters straight to the mid-wicket fielder and Shamarh Brooks was caught at leg-slip for one off Liam Sebastien, top-edging an ill-advised sweep seven balls later.
For the remainder of the period before tea, Hope and Chase defied the Volcanoes attack to ease the tension in the Pride dressing room and continued to repel the challenge after the break before the rain came to cut short the day on which only 34.2 overs were possible.
Hope, however, was fortunate on 11 when he turned a ball from off-spiner Liam Sebastien, the Volcanoes captain, and short leg fielder Tarryck Gabriel dropped the ball while trying to celebrate.
Chase too, had a close shave, when he was still in single figures, playing back and across to a delivery from debutant left-arm chinaman bowler Audy Alexander, only for umpire Jonathan Blades to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Pride made two changes from the previous match, bringing Omar Phillips and clubmate Kenroy Williams into their final 11 in place of the resting Kraigg Brathwaite and out-of-favour fast-medium bowler Justin Greaves.
Volcanoes made three changes with Roland Cato, Audy Alexander and Kenroy Peters replacing the out-of-favour Jerlani Robinson, injured Shane Shillingford and surprise omission Delorn Johnson.
Pride were third in the standings on 43.2 points – eight points more than fifth-placed Volcanoes.