CRAB HILL, Barbados, (CMC) - Double-crown holders Barbados were within sight of first innings points, despite a shaky start in pursuit of a modest Windward Islands first innings total in their second round match of the Carib Beer 2004 Cricket Series at the North Stars Sports & Cultural Club yesterday.
Barbados were 82 for three, replying to Windwards’ first innings total of 113, when stumps were drawn on the opening day with Floyd Reifer, a century-maker in the first round, not out on 16 and newcomer Shawn Graham not out on seven.
Fast bowlers Tino Best and Pedro Collins shared seven wickets to undermine the Windwards’ batting. Only Junior Murray, the former West Indies wicketkeeper/batsman, showed any prolonged resistance with an undefeated 57. No other batsman passed 20.
Windwards, however, hit back in the final period with the wickets of opening batsmen Sherwin Campbell and Martin Nurse, as well as Ryan Hinds to keep themselves in touch with their opponents.
Campbell was caught behind off Fernix Thomas for seven, stabbing at a delivery outside the off-stump in the eighth over of the Barbados innings.
But a 52-run stand between Nurse and Hinds got the Barbadians moving, after the strictures placed upon them from Thomas and new-ball partner Cameron Cuffy.
Two wickets in the space of 20 balls slowed the Barbadians down. Hinds, a shadow of the batsman of promise that led him to play four Tests for West Indies, was bowled by Darren Sammy for 15 playing a loose drive at a well-pitched delivery and Nurse was caught at backward point for 31, cutting at a short delivery from Shane Shillingford.
Earlier, Windwards, sent in to bat, subsided to 76 for four at the lunch interval, after Best removed their opening batsmen in the first half-hour to set the train in motion for the Barbadians.
Best had Romel Currency caught at first slip for four, edging a big drive in the second over of the morning and then had Devon Smith, the Windwards’ leading batsman for the last two years, caught at deep fine leg for 13, top-edging a hook at a short, rising delivery.
Windwards were 24 for two, but Murray and Craig Emmanuel batted painstakingly to settle things down with a third wicket stand of 38, the largest of the innings, but two wickets in the space of 28 balls set the visitors back.
Emmanuel was caught behind for 15 off Ryan Nurse, touching a rising ball after failing to take his bat out of the line and Lindon James was caught at silly mid-off off Sulieman Benn for one to leave Windwards 66 for four about 15 minutes before the lunch interval.
Collins captured three wickets and Best took two in the afternoon period to ensure that the Windwards did not bat past the tea break.
Best removed Windwards’ captain Rawl Lewis, caught at gully for one in the second over after the interval, and Sammy caught behind for one in his next over to leave the visitors 80 for six.
For the next 1-1/2 hours, Murray and Shillingford defied the Barbadian attack. The runs were not flowing freely though with the Barbadians maintaining the pressure with consistent bowling.
The pair added 25 for the seventh wicket before Shillingford was caught at third slip off Collins, slicing a drive. Orlanzo Jackson was lbw to Benn for nought, sweeping at a fast, full-length delivery, and Thomas was lbw for nought, offering no stroke to Collins to send Windwards tumbling to 107 for nine.
Collins completed the rout when Cuffy was caught at mid-wicket for one to end with figures of three wickets for 28 runs from 14.5 overs to complement Best, who ended with four for 33 from 12 overs. Benn took two for 28.
Barbados made three changes to their side from the opening match with Martin Nurse, Shawn Graham and Ian Bradshaw replacing Kurt Wilkinson, Ryan Hurley and Ian Bradshaw, all of whom were picked in the West Indies squad for the five-match One-day International Series against South Africa, while Windwards were unchanged.
Barbados are co-leaders in the Championship with West Indies-B, following a 10-wicket triumph over Guyana at Kensington Oval in the opening round, while Windwards are joint second with Trinidad & Tobago after taking first innings points off Jamaica.
WINDWARD ISLANDS 1st innings
D. Smith c Collins b Best 13
R. Currency c Reifer b Best 4
C. Emmanuel c wkpr Browne b Nurse 15
J. Murray not out 57
L. James c Mayers b Benn 1
R. Lewis c Hinds b Best 1
D. Sammy c wkpr Browne b Best 1
S. Shillingford c Benn b Collins 6
O. Jackson lbw b Benn 0
F. Thomas lbw b Collins 0
C. Cuffy c Best b Collins 1
Extras: (b-4, lb-1, nb-9) 14
Total: (all out) 113
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-24, 3-62, 4-66, 5-76, 6-80, 7-105, 8-106, 9-107.